Now that the holiday season is firmly behind us, there’s one thing on many people’s minds.

A vacation.

It’s the perfect way to push away the January blues, something that the travel industry is well aware of too – hence the substantial amount of vacation adverts you’re likely seeing as winter turns slowly into spring.

But for those who are less than comfortable flyers, booking a vacation can be quite restrictive, or else involve anxiety when it comes to boarding and experiencing the sensations and sounds on board an airplane.

That’s all quite logical. After all, we’re not a volant species, and taking to the air means being very reliant on the pilots, the crew, and the plane itself – not to mention anything else in the air.

But commercial airline pilots are professionals who have proven their skills and ability to adapt to emergency scenarios over and over again – in fact, pilots are required to practice using simulated air emergencies every six months.

So you trust the pilots, you hopefully trust the plane, and you’ve just taken off.

Now why does it feel like you’re suddenly falling?

Rest assured, that feeling – the one where it feels like you’re slowing and falling – is a normal part of the takeoff procedure. That’s according Corry Lane, flight captain and director of safety at Cirrus Aviation, in an interview with Reader’s Digest:

“Flaps and slats are extended to a takeoff setting, providing extra lift at lower speeds. Initially, the climb angle is steep—often 10 degrees to 20 degrees nose-up pitch, depending on aircraft type and weight, [which] feels powerful and aggressive. As speed increases, flaps and slats are retracted incrementally, and the aircraft’s pitch is reduced. This is the moment passengers often interpret as a ‘drop.’ In reality, the aircraft is still climbing—just at a shallower angle and with less engine noise. The combination of reduced pitch, quieter engines and changing g-forces creates the illusion of descent.”

Sometimes, then, you shouldn’t trust your gut – and unless the dropping sensation is accompanied by unusual noises, the sudden deployment of oxygen masks, or an emergency announcement from the pilot, you can be sure that everything is a-ok.

Now all that’s in order, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. Your destination awaits.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a quantum computer simulation that has “reversed time” and physics may never be the same.