Is airline flying inherently dangerous? Well, consider this. Some years ago a statistical research firm was asked to rate various vocations as to their relative risk for life insurance policies. It turned out that airline pilots, who fly hundreds of hours each year, have a job which is just slightly less dangerous than being a plumber!

With that said, when flying in a modern jet, you are in an aluminum tube which is miles above the earth and traveling at roughly the speed of a .45 caliber bullet. What makes it safer than driving to the airport is the quality of the pilots and the aircraft they are operating.

There is no doubt that the technological advances I witnessed over a 45 year flying career have made many aspects of aviation much safer, but no level of technology can overcome a lack of “situational awareness” by the pilots. In fact, an over reliance on technology can actually be detrimental to the safety of the flight.

Two accidents which took the lives of all onboard are worth noting. The first, Air France 447, occurred over the South Atlantic on June 1, 2009. The Second, Air Asia 8501, occurred over the Sea of Java on December 28, 2014. Both aircraft were Airbus Industrie types, and both accidents were the result of a relatively inexperienced pilot making incorrect inputs into the side-stick flight control, which resulted in a non-recoverable deep stall condition.

The design philosophy of Airbus, as discussed in a previous post, was in my opinion a contributing factor. Understand, I am not saying Airbus aircraft are inherently unsafe. I just believe that in the attempt to “pilot proof” their planes, Airbus Industrie aircraft are possibly too automated. This can cause a false sense of security among pilots who, without adequate “stick and rudder” flying skills, are unable to manually “fly the aircraft” while dealing with abnormal situations. The FAA has recognized this shortcoming, and mandated additional flight training for all U.S. carriers. For the safety of all concerned I hope that this trend will continue and expand beyond our shores. In the final analysis, it comes down to the airline you select. For obvious reasons I am predjudiced towards U.S. carriers, but many other airlines have great pilot training programs as well, such as our friends “down under”, Qantas and Air New Zealand.  Elsewhere, British Airways, Lufthansa and most of the other European airlines are first rate. You can’t find better trained pilots than those who fly for El Al, the national airline of Israel. As for the rest of the world, it’s a mixed bag. Many foreign airlines rely on expatriates for their Captains, with nationals as the co-pilot. That can cause problems. When you fly overseas, check the safety record of the carrier. Make your decision based on knowledge, not convenience or cost. Airline flying is safe, but we should always strive to make it more so.