I love flying in the big stuff. The only time I've been terrified of flying is in a light aircraft. It was piloted by a friend in whom I had absolute confidence and I still came within a whisker of losing my breakfast and my nerve. I felt every lump and bump - plus I don't get that sense of being a long way off the ground in a 737. I've never been so pleased to get my feet on the floor and will not be repeating the experience again in a hurry. That day is how I found my screen name.
Just because the plane is smaller, doesn't make it a way of "confronting the fear in a small way". A small plane will amplify and exaggerate any sensation about flying that bothers a person (even if they weren't aware of it before).
Plane big enough to have an onboard toilet & trolley of g&t = good
Anything smaller = avoidavoidavoid