How safe is flying in an airplane really?

Answer 1

everyone always talks about statistics and stuff like that. but you arent a statistic and you want a better answer. so here's the best one i can come up with.

on the ground, there are an infinate ammount of things that can kill you, animals, guns, drivers, etc. and we arent exactly trained to expect and deal with these things. In the air there are a limited number of things that can go wrong. basically, hit by lightning, hit by meteor, volcanic ash being ingested into the engine, bird smashing through engine or windshield killing pilots. those are basically the only natural disasters that can affect you that i can think of. Seem unlikely? they are. otherwise your major dangers are things like hitting another plane, pilot error, or mechanical failure. Think about all of the people who are working to make sure you're safe. There are air traffic controllers on the ground, watching RADARs and other instruments to make sure no 2 aircraft get anywhere near each other. There is the pilot, who has gone through years of training and simulations to be sure that he can, on a split second decision, correct any problem that has ever been recorded in aviation history. Both watch weather, and other possibly hazards in the air. Not only are you no where near anything else in the sky, simply because of the statistical unlikeliness of it, but there are people making sure you dont get near them. It is very safe. And in the statistical unlikelihood of a problem that could potentially lead to a crash, ur pilot will 99.9% of the time know how to correct it.

Answer 2

Airplanes very rarely get in traffic accidents; usually they just circle the airport during rush hour. Airplanes don't speed, they don't run red lights or stop signs and they are being watched by several traffic control towers constantly. Pilots require complex training to be come co-pilots, they then must serve as a co-pilot for several years until they can become full-fledged pilots. Most American drivers get their license after a written test, a single driving course (usually only a few months long), and a simple behind the wheel test. If a pilot breaks the law then he is grounded, and usually will lose his job. If a driver breaks a law then they get a ticket and a few points on their license. Lots of drivers speed with out being caught, pilots can’t. The roads are crowded, there are tailgaters, people who change lanes abruptly, and do some other weird stuff. Planes follow each other at 1000’ spacing. They fly on selected traffic routes, and anyone that wants to enter that air space has to get permission from the control tower, which watches them closely to make sure they don’t make mistakes. How many people refuse to wear their seat belts? On an airplane the stewards make sure that everyone is buckled in. Then there is the maintenance issue. Cars are taken car of by people who only need a technical degree, or less. And they are only taken care of if the owner of the car takes it in to get service. Usually the owner will wait until something goes wrong first. Airplanes are serviced by skilled technicians who keep complete records, on a regular bases. The mechanics have to have several years of training and they have to be certified. Commercial airplanes are checked every time they complete a flight. Airplane parts, including the engine, are rated in hours; after so many hours of flight time the parts must be inspected or replaced. Engines have to be serviced, and only have a set lifespan. If a major fault is found in an airplane’s design then all possibly affected planes are grounded immediately until repairs are made. If there is a major fault in a car then the car companies reluctantly issue a recall, and trust any mechanic to make the repair, even those that aren’t specially trained to do it.

All of this makes me feel pretty safe when I fly. Of course there are accidents, but so many more people are killed in traffic accidents that flying is much safer.

Answer 3

Compared to what other means of transportation? ... I chose the most common means for this answer ... driving.

Death by accident: Flying vs. driving

Air travel in the U.S. is still among the safest ways to travel -- and it has become more safe with time.

According to National Transportation Safety Board, there were .3 deaths per 100,000 Americans in 1993. In 1970, the rate was more than twice that high.


Death rate per 100,000 population

Motor vehicle accidents 1970 - 26.9 ; 1980 - 23.5 ; 1990 -18.8 ; 1993 -16.3

Aerospace accidents 1970 - 0.8 ; 1980 - 0.7 ; 1990 - 0.4 ; 1993 - 0.3




Death (numbers)
Motor vehicle accidents 1970 - 54,633 ; 1980 - 53,172 ; 1990 - 46,814 ; 1993 - 41,893
Aerospace accidents 1970 - 1,612 ; 1980 -1,494 ; 1990 -941 ; 1993 - 859

Answer 4

Statistically you would have to board a commercial aircraft at least a million times before you would be involved in an incident. And then it may not be fatal.

The odds against an airplane falling on you are just about equal to you being in the plane when it falls.

Answer 5

airplane ride is the safest mode of travel... because the tolerance of distance is 500 meters from everywhere... up, down, left right front, back.... the pilot's job is only to take off and land... others is automatic... even the weather is really bad.... the plane will cruise normally after few shakes. even the accident rate is smaller if compared between road travel... maybe 1:10,000. we see accident on road most of the days and plane crash once in a year or two...

Answer 6

I don't know but my mom flies everywhere because she's disable,she has a bad back and the bumps from the bus and all the jerking on the train causes her to pain so bad but she says that it's more car accident's than plane so I would say it's better to fly than to drive.

Answer 7

You are much more likely to get killed in your car on the way to the airport than you are when you are actually flying on a plane.

Answer 8

Statistically, safer than bus travel, train travel and car travel.
No transport gets better maintenance than an airplane.

Answer 9

Well...lets put it this way: Your crashing, racing towards earth at 800 miles an hour, your heart is racing, your feeling faint, you poo and pee your pants, you just puked all over yourself...SPLAT...your brain is... MUSH...you will need to be scraped up with a shovel. Will the medical examiner be able to identify you? No way! How do you identify...SPLATER. Your remains will fit into a doggy poo bag.
But let me be positive, you won't feel a thing!

Answer 10

I'll put the response this way:

The chances of your dying from air pollution are greater than your dying from commercial aircraft failure or collision.

ESPECIALLY if there is a smoker in your home.