What are the safest and most dangerous jets in the air today?

1. BOEING 777
Airlines like Continental, Delta, and United have flown this long-haul jet on more than three and a half million flights with no fatal crashes. An advanced wing design allows the 777 to fly higher than other jets, and the plane's landing gear—the largest ever incorporated into a commercial aircraft—gives it greater stability and maneuverability on runways and taxi areas.

2. AIRBUS A340
The Airbus's four engines (versus the standard two) allow it to fly extended routes with little risk of engine failure. Commercial pilots have used the jet since 2003 with no fatal crashes. The A340's only major nonfatal close call occurred in 2005, when an Air France flight from Paris to Toronto landed during a thunderstorm, careered off the runway, and burst into flames.

3. FOKKER F28
A short-range, Dutch-engineered jet flown by small foreign airlines, the Fokker has been involved in 21 fatal crashes since 1972. These dinosaurs were built starting in 1964, and at last count 160 were still in service. U.S. carriers don't fly them, but if you're on a chartered flight in Indonesia, Nigeria, or Peru—where an out-of-control Fokker killed 42 passengers in 2003—look out.

4. TUPOLEV TU-154
Flown in Iran, China, and Russia, the Soviet-built TU-154 is a medium-range jet that's averaged more than one fatal event per year since 1990. The most recent spill occurred in August 2006, when a Tupolev flown by the Russian airline Pulkovo crashed while en route to St. Petersburg, killing all 160 passengers. NATO's code name for the Tupolev: "Careless."

How do you beat fear of flying?
For the 30 million Americans who live with aerophobia, boarding a plane is like walking the plank. I know. I've asked strangers to hold my hand at 20,000 feet, and I've caused flight delays by bolting for the door before takeoff.

Here's what didn't fix my problem:
REVIEWING THE STATISTICS. I don't care if flying is about 20 times safer than driving. Phobias are irrational fears, remember?

ANXIETY MEDS LIKE ATIVAN. I still begged to get off the plane; I just slurred my words as I did it.

EMDR (eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing). The concept: My brain would reprocess my fears if I talked about them while a therapist zigzagged his fingers in front of my eyes. The reality: What do you think?

And here's what did:
HYPNOTHERAPY. I relaxed in a La-Z-Boy while surrounded by New Age music, flashing lights, and the voice of a therapist saying happy things about flying. Three sessions later—don't ask me how—I was ready to fly.