buy and fly a radio control model! despite the "anorak" image, it sharpens the reflexes and apart from (usually) having huge power reserves, they fly the same....."ye can't beat the laws of physics, Jim"
When you actually see, feel and control steep turns, knife-edge and other simple manoeuvers, the full size job is a doddle,
I introduced a pilot-friend to sailing and pointed out that it was 2-dimensional ,slow-motion flying....when it came to Navigation, it's more like time-lapse
Congrats on having the willpower to supress and beat your irrational fears....wish I could do the same with spiders (we don't have poisonous ones here, in fact Idon't think we have any bitey ones at all! Iam happy to observe them, as long as the buggers don't scuttle towards me!