Here’s why air travel is the safest form of travel

Article was written by Bongiwe Mati

Air travel might be a fast and effective way to travel in the modern world, but many people are still scared of getting on aircraft. The thought of being 36 000 ft above mean sea level is something that unsettles those who fear heights. The fear of flying is also fuelled by knowing that chances of surviving an accident or crash at high level and speed are very slim.

According to Aviation for Aviators, the reason why whenever we hear of an accident or something happening to an aircraft, even if it’s not an accident we become terrified is because air crashes/accidents are rare. No matter where it happens the whole world will know about it, making us believe that they are common and  cementing the fear of flying on others.

One of the reasons why air travel can be regarded as the safest form if travel is because of better pilot training and improvement in onboard technology. Back in the day, flights were not as advanced as they are this day and age. Former pilot Patric Smith adds, “We developed a stronger emphasis on what we call ‘Crew Resource Management’ and ‘Human Factors Analysis.”

Travel + Leisure explains that onboard technology has also been upgraded to systems designed to make flights safe, from fire suppression systems to the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) to the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGWPS).

“One of the reasons planes are so complex is because the many safety features and redundancies make them so. Every onboard system and component has to be engineered to an extremely high level of reliability. Plus, most aviation systems are designed to be redundant — that is, if one system were to go down, another would be able to serve as a backup, adds Patric.

The aircraft’s systems are regularly and thoroughly checked. University professor and former pilot Dr Dan Bubb adds,“If any aircraft fails an inspection, it is automatically grounded. Mechanics literally take apart the planes to inspect all parts. The FAA will send inspectors to do unannounced checks on the planes, including inspection of all records and documents. The process is far more rigorous than for any other mode of public transportation.”

This story first appeared on Bona.