two things really helped me, both really cheap from amazon:
a book about fear of flying

and
a cd about fear of flying

the first one has tips and some very useful info about the safety of flying. Makes you understand WHY you are afraid.

the second is a hypnotherapy cd. You just listen to it and relax nothing much seems to happen. Then you get in the plane and you realise something amazing has happened and for some bizzarre reason you LOVE flying. It was like a light being switched on for me

the books about a tenner and the cds about a fiver - best money i ever spent in fact I used the techniques in both book and cd to overcome a fear of the dentist as well, though I had to modify them to the different situation.

One tip I have thats not in the book or cd is when you have done something on the way to your goal give yourself a small reward. eg buy yourself anything a packet of biscuits or a magazine to say to yourself "well done I was brave enough to apply to go abroad, even if I dont go through with it". The WORST thing you can do is to put yourself down and think tell yourself you are stupid as that only lowers self esteem and the phobia gets a tighter grip.

Good Luck. If I did it you can!