Second, the aviation industry runs on a “never again” system, in which each problem—from a minor rattle to a major crash—is reported, investigated, and if necessary, fixed on all other relevant aircraft so that it won’t occur again. Similarly, because most airline disasters involve some level of human error, pilots, controllers, mechanics, and cabin crews may anonymously report potentially dangerous behavior to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System so that even errors that haven’t (yet) caused an accident or reportable incident may still be studied and contribute to improved safety.
This system of constant review and fleet-wide maintenance has meant that the kinds of airline disasters that happened twenty, ten, or even five years ago are much less likely to occur today. In the early 1970s an explosion inside a jet engine released a fan blade which pierced both the engine cowling and fuselage and killed one passenger. The aircraft landed safely, but engines have been made safer ever since; today, the engines on the Boeing 777 are surrounded by three inches of Kevlar to contain even a massive engine failure.
After a crash of a Boeing 767 in 1991, investigators were mystified as to why one engine’s thrust reversers kicked in during a flight. After all, the 767 was (and is) considered one of the safest types of aircraft, and there was simply no reason why this might have happened. The result: Boeing finally decided to redesign the thrust reverser’s electrical system and retrofitted nearly 2,000 aircraft, just in case this was the cause of the disaster.
There are two critical points in every aerial flight—its beginning and its end.
—Alexander Graham Bell
One curious side effect of the “never again” system is that it can be more difficult to identify clear causes for some of the crashes that occur these days. Thirty years ago, investigators could relatively quickly point to problems such as metal fatigue or flying into wake turbulence (the intense vortices that follow large jets). Since then, systems have been put in place to avoid those problems. Flying has been made so much safer that airplanes only crash under extremely odd circumstances.
Not knowing is, of course, more frightening than knowing why something happened. That’s one reason the mysterious midair explosions of TWA 800 in 1996 and SwissAir 111 in 1998 are so scary. But Boeing, Airbus, and other manufacturers continue to redesign aircraft to counter even the few “might have beens” that could have caused these disasters.
If Problems Arise
Most airline pilots will fly their entire careers without having as much as a “close call,” and it’s a very rare pilot indeed who will be involved in an accident. But on those rare occasions when a series of improbable things go wrong and an accident occurs, it’s important to remember three things: Pilots are extensively trained to handle emergencies; airplanes are designed to withstand significant malfunctions; and a whole lot can go wrong without anyone getting killed.
For example, commercial airplanes are designed to land even without landing gear, by skidding along the runway. In fact, no one in recent history has been seriously hurt in a landing of this sort. One of the most astonishing displays of how robust commercial airplanes are occurred in 1988, when a stress fracture on an Aloha Airlines flight caused one-third of the top of the fuselage to rip off the airplane while it was in flight. Sadly, a flight attendant was pulled out of the airplane and killed, but the pilots safely landed the aircraft—even with a giant hole in it—saving the lives of all the passengers.
Those “black boxes” that contain cockpit voice recordings and flight data are designed to survive intense impacts, fire, and even being immersed in saltwater at a pressure equivalent to 20,000 feet below sea level for thirty days. Why don’t they just make the whole airplane out of the same material? Because it would be so heavy that it would never get off the ground, of course.
Many passengers became nervous about flying on the MD-80 aircraft after Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashed in 2000. However, the statistics are clear: The MD-80 is the safest jet aircraft in history, with only eight fatal crashes out of 20 million flights. According to AirDisaster.com, the next safest aircraft are: Boeing 767, 757, 737, and the Airbus A320.
Ironically, flying at cruising altitude is typically the safest time for something to go wrong because there is plenty of time and space to recover. A severe downdraft or wind shear is scary at cruising altitude, but not life-threatening if you have a seatbelt on. On the other hand, in the case of an on-board fire, it’s much better to be near the ground and preferably near an airport with fire trucks.
What You Can Do
Even though there are only about thirty emergency evacuations of aircraft each year in the United States (out of more than 10 million flights), it’s worth knowing what to expect and what you should do, just in case. Most people think it’s unlikely that an airplane could be evacuated quickly—after all, consider how long it takes for people to exit the airplane normally. But airline manufacturers must demonstrate that a full aircraft can be evacuated within ninety seconds, using only half the available exits, and in the dark. (When the Boeing 777 was being tested, one volunteer out of 420 refused to jump down the evacuation slide during the allotted time, so the FAA rated the aircraft for only 419 passengers.)
One of the main reasons airlines turn off the main cabin lights during nighttime takeoffs and landings is to prepare the passengers’ eyesight for dim light in case of an emergency that requires evacuation in the dark.
Here are some other things you should keep in mind in case of an emergency:
If the oxygen masks pop out, don’t hesitate to put one on. Flight attendants report that many passengers just stare at the masks until they’re told to use them or until they pass out. (At cruise altitudes, you probably have about fifteen or twenty seconds before you lose consciousness.) Remember that you must tug on the oxygen tube in order to release a pin; otherwise, the oxygen won’t flow at all. You probably won’t feel the oxygen or see the oxygen bag inflate at first because it’s supposed to inflate when you breathe out.
If the aircraft really has lost its air pressure (rapid decompression), the pilot will quickly descend to a safe altitude. Don’t panic; airplanes can fly just fine in this situation.
If you know there is going to be a sudden deceleration (what most people would call a crash landing), watch out for the heavy stuff in the bins above you as it will almost certainly fall out. Get into the emergency brace position: If you have the room, lean over and grab your legs or ankles. Otherwise, cross your arms on the chair back of the seat in front of you and rest your head on your arms.
Whenever possible, watch and listen to the flight attendants. They are extensively trained. However, if you can’t hear or see one, use your best judgment and be prepared to get out on your own. (On the other hand, don’t overreact; passengers have been known to open exits and jump out while the airplane was still on the taxiway because of engine smoke or flames, an uncommon but non-life-threatening event.)
Believe it or not, a large percentage of people refuse to leave their seats after an emergency landing. There may only be a few minutes to get out of the airplane safely, so if you see people just sitting frozen, get them to move.
If the cabin is filling with smoke, bend low but don’t drop to your hands and knees. This way, you’ll still be able to move quickly. Also, cover your nose and mouth with a cloth (wet if possible), such as a T-shirt or napkin.
Forget your carry-on bags. Anything you try to take with you may mean the difference between life and death—either for you or for someone else behind you. Getting passengers to leave their bags is one of the biggest challenges flight attendants face during an evacuation.
People tend to try to return to the front-most door where they entered the airplane rather than use the exits over the wings or at the back of the aircraft. This is a recipe for disaster; use whatever exit is closest to you and is open.
Don’t push anybody, and don’t let anyone push you. If one person falls, it may impede everyone’s evacuation. Similarly, don�
��t crowd the exit doors—remember that they must open inward before they swing out.
Before going down an escape slide, remove your shoes; they might catch on the slide (damaging you, other passengers, or the inflatable slide itself). Hold on to them if you can, though, as there may be broken glass on the ground.
Many injuries during evacuations come from people running into each other or falling off the end of the slide, so once you’re out of the airplane, move away as quickly as possible.
Ultimately, the most important rule is: Don’t Panic. Given the extraordinary resources that have gone into making flying—and even crashing—as safe as possible, chances are that you will be okay.
A Sigh of Relief
If flying is getting safer, why do some news stories insist that the number of fatalities worldwide in the 1990s actually increased over those in the 1980s? Because that’s only half the story. It’s true that during the 1980s about 1,060 people died each year (almost 90 percent of that number were on non-U.S. airlines) from crashes, and that in the 1990s, the number rose by about 12.5 percent. However, airlines flew over 30 percent more passengers and flights in the 1990s, so the average risk to passengers actually decreased significantly.
However, even though flying is one of the safest forms of transportation (other than perhaps the elevator), there are risks involved. Everybody on an airplane—even the pilots—breathes a quiet sigh of relief when the wheels touch down safely on the runway. It’s a good time to be grateful to the pilots, the attendants, and the aviation community that is so determined to transport you safely and efficiently.
It’s always a good idea to keep the pointy end going forward as much as possible…A “good” landing is one from which you can walk away. A “great” landing is one after which they can use the plane again.
—From an anonymous list of flying “rules” for pilots
Be Prepared:
What You Can Do to Survive an Emergency
The chances that you will ever be in an airplane accident are miniscule, no matter how often you fly. Nevertheless, there are things you can do to be prepared. Most crashes are survivable, and evidence shows that the people who typically survive are those who are ready for the worst. Here are a few ideas you might keep in mind when preparing for a flight.
Wear comfortable clothing that covers you well, as opposed to short pants or skirts. Neckties can restrict breathing, hairspray is flammable, and pantyhose and other synthetic clothing may melt to the skin if there is a fire or from the friction from sliding down an emergency slide.
Even in a normal flight, the air pressure causes our feet and ankles to swell, so wear loose-fitting pants and shoes. However, shoes should have fasteners because you’re likely to lose sandals or high heels in a crash landing.
If you take medications, keep them in your pocket rather than in a handbag or carry-on, which will be difficult or impossible to access in the event of an emergency.
Find the closest exits in front of you and behind you, and count the number of seat rows to them. If smoke fills the cabin, it will be nearly impossible to see an exit sign and you’ll have to find an exit by memory. Many aircraft are now fitted with emergency floor lighting that can also help direct you to the exits.
Keep one of those airline blankets nearby; they’re flame retardant and are good to duck under in case of fire.
If possible, infants should be fastened into a car seat that can be buckled into the airplane chair. It you can’t afford a separate seat (even at infant rates), then at least use a restraining system, which attaches to your seatbelt, in case of severe turbulence.
Your seatbelt should be snug across your lap. A loose seatbelt can actually cause internal injuries in an accident.
Don’t worry about where you’re sitting; no one area on an airplane is any safer than any other.
It’s also important to listen to the preflight safety message, even if you’ve heard it before. If you think it’s silly for the flight attendants to explain things like how to open a seatbelt, think again: A surprisingly large percentage of people freeze up and can’t get out of their seatbelts in an emergency. Similarly, life vests can be complicated; when watching the flight attendant put one on, visualize putting one on yourself. (After all, about 70 percent of all airports are near the water.)
Don’t be embarassed to look over the emergency safety card, too, especially if you’re in an emergency row—people’s lives (including your own) depend on you knowing this material.
The Media’s Fascination with Airline Disasters
If you ask the average person-on-the-street what he or she knows about airplanes, you will probably hear about some well-known crashes, but almost nothing about how airplanes work the other 99.9999 percent of the time. This isn’t surprising given the fact that most people get their information from television, radio, and newspapers. Since the dawn of aviation, the media have found that airplane disasters attract attention like few other stories.
On the one hand, the intense media scrutiny actually makes the airline industry safer by putting pressure on the government and the airlines. But on the other hand, the media’s tendency toward frightening pictures and sensationalist headlines has made many people nervous about flying.
For example, the media know you’ll read about the 292 people who died in U.S.-based airline disasters in 1994. It’s simply human nature to be drawn to this kind of story, even though it’s frightening to think, “That could have been me.” However, who would buy a newspaper with the true headline, “Nobody died in U.S.-airline crashes in 2002”? Sadly, reassuring statistics are rarely considered news.
Selling the Story
Of course, with all due respect to the commercial media, it’s important to remember that their primary goal isn’t to inform you; their goal is to sell advertising. And the most effective method of selling advertising is to hold your attention with a compelling, scary story.
Journalists even use the term stories to talk about the news. They know that their job is to gather the facts as best they can and then spin them into a story worthy of telling around a campfire (or the water cooler). Unfortunately, sometimes the story overwhelms the facts. For example, in 1994 USA Today printed a frontpage article that stated, “Steer clear of commuter planes with fewer than 30 seats and ‘don’t even consider flying them at night or in bad weather’ warns a consumer group.” However, less clear was that the consumer group included Alaskan bush flights, helicopters, and air taxis in their research. If you take those out, the statistics are clear: Commuter airplanes are just about as safe as larger aircraft. And, of course, even those riskier forms of flying are still safer than most other forms of transportation. (To its credit, the newspaper did publish a small follow-up article about this several days later, but printed it on page 12.)
After the Accident
As you might expect, the vast majority of aviation news coverage occurs immediately after a plane crash. As Barry Glassner points out in his book The Culture of Fear, after the 1996 crash of ValueJet Flight 592, some major newspapers and television networks—including the New York Times, CBS, and NBC—ran about fifty news stories each in just two weeks.
Unfortunately, in the first few days after an accident, much of the information in the media is wrong because it is based on speculation and hearsay. In most instances, it’s simply impossible for anyone to know all the factors that caused a crash within a week (or even a month) of the event. However, news is perishable and the media can’t wait to get the facts, so instead they use the “shotgun” method, reporting everything that might have gone wrong.
Then, once the real facts do begin to appear, they’re hardly reported because the accident is “yesterday’s news.” When was the last time you saw a headline read, “We were wrong; this issue isn’t actually something you need to worry about”?
Ultimately, although there are certainly reputable aviation journalists who know enough to avoid spreading untruths, it’s generally a good idea to
be somewhat skeptical when reading, listening, or viewing reports about the aviation industry.
Fig. 1
Less Stress, More Fun
There’s something about flying that can make some folks act in crazy ways, screaming at the check-in counter staff, or even attacking flight attendants. In fact, according to the flight attendants union, each year there are several thousand instances of “air rage,” including several hundred cases of physical abuse. Alcohol (which loosens inhibitions) and caffeine (which raises the blood pressure) often contribute to the problem, but the underlying condition that breeds this rage is likely the overwhelming feeling of not being in control.
Perhaps the feeling starts in the car, on the way to the airport, as the traffic slows to a crawl and you begin to wonder if you’ll arrive in time for your flight. Perhaps you feel a tightening in your stomach while waiting in the surprisingly long check-in line, or the security line, or the boarding line—speculating about everything from turbulence to terrorists. Perhaps your flight has been delayed or canceled, and you miss your connection or business meeting. Perhaps your flight is so full that you and your spouse can’t sit next to each other, or you’re stuck in a middle seat at the back of the airplane across from the toilet.
True, when you’re flying you’re definitely not in control. Worse, the experience of flying is nowhere near as pleasant as it used to be, or as it appears to be in television ads. In this age of overbooked flights and tightened security—when every step from parking your car to finding your luggage at the end of the flight can be a struggle—it’s almost understandable that people occasionally snap.
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