This article was co-authored by Gary Baumgardner and by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Bujnosek, BA. Gary Baumgardner is an airline pilot based in San Diego, CA. With over 18 years of experience, Gary is passionate about helping people overcome their fear of flying through a variety of methods. Gary offers an online course, Skybound: Courage to Fly Academy, which includes 1:1 sessions with experts like pilots, mechanics, and psychologists, and a Facebook support group. By sharing aviation expertise, insights from psychologists, and more, he hopes to provide a holistic approach to help individuals overcome their fear. Gary also shares behind-the-scenes and pilot insights on social media to his over 454k followers. He also hosts a free pilot mentoring program for aspiring pilots.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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If you’ve scrolled through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen users talking about jello theory and how it’s helped them conquer their fear of flying—but what is it, exactly? Despite what its name suggests, it has nothing to do with eating Jell-O brand gelatin. It’s actually a viral analogy that uses gelatin to explain why your plane is unlikely to fall out of the sky. Keep reading for a breakdown of the origins of jello theory, what it means, and other ways to fight fears of flying.
What is Jello Theory on TikTok?
Pilot Gary Baumgardner says jello theory explains why turbulence is unlikely to cause an airplane to fall out of the sky. Imagine a toy plane suspended in jello. Even if the jello shakes (turbulence), the toy (plane) doesn’t fall out of it. The jello represents the pressure around the plane that suspends it in the air.
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- ↑ https://www.newsweek.com/woman-jelly-trick-cured-fear-flying-15-million-views-1716464
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquer-fear-flying/202206/the-fear-flying-tip-went-viral
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquer-fear-flying/202206/the-fear-flying-tip-went-viral
- ↑ https://www.texashealth.org/areyouawellbeing/Behavioral-Health/Nervous-Flyer-How-to-Deal-with-Flight-Anxiety
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/box-breathing-benefits
- ↑ https://www.annafreud.org/resources/children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing/self-care/distraction-techniques/
- ↑ https://www.texashealth.org/areyouawellbeing/Behavioral-Health/Nervous-Flyer-How-to-Deal-with-Flight-Anxiety