6 Reasons Air Travel is Incredibly Safe

In the ongoing collaborative project, Flight 12, by the group of New York Times Best Selling authors who call ourselves The Twelve, Flight 12 is headed to Rome. 

Since we are a group of mystery/thriller writers, you may be assuming – of course, mid-flight, something dramatic will happen and the safety of Flight 12 will be in danger. And you’d be right! After all, what’s a thriller without the thrills, right?

What kind of thrills will depend on our readers. That’s right — YOU!

But before we get to that,  hold your horses. Even though FBI Special Agent Kim Otto is a bundle of anxiety every time she files, Jess Kimball knows how safe air travel is. Do you?

Here are 6 reasons air travel is incredibly safe:

1. You’re more likely to drown in a bathtub than in flight. According to a Business News Report, the chances of being killed in any given flight on a major world airline is one in 4.7 million. To put that in perspective… you’re more likely to drown in a bathtub, die from falling out of bed, or be killed by a hippo than you are to die in a plane crash.

Plane Tray Table

2. Did you know airplane seats are fire retardant and self-extinguishing? If you’ve ever spent time on a plane, you’ve probably been more focused on your view and your tray table than the fabric covering your seat. But that part’s important, too. The fabric and cushions resist the spread of fire, they extinguish themselves, and any smoke they emit will be non-toxic.
Source: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/why-airplanes-are-safe

3. Flights are only getting safer.
2013 was the safest year on record, ever, for airlines. Before that, 2012 was the safest year. Before that, 2011 was the safest year. See the trend?
Source: http://airfactsjournal.com/2014/01/won-safety-battle/

4. Being able to fly a plane isn’t the only skill airlines require pilots to have.
Airlines also train pilots to work with others and to manage multiple sources of incoming information at once. Plus, a former vice president of TWA’s corporate safety department adds that airlines seek pilots who have the ability to remain focused and compartmentalize.

Plaine Wing

5. Planes have more than enough fuel.
Legally, a plane must have enough fuel to “go to their destination, make a missed approach to land, fly to their most distant alternate landing, hold for 30 minutes and land with 10% of their en route fuel still in their tanks.”
Source: http://www.gogetterjetsetter.com/how-safe-is-flying.php

6. Cockpits are meticulously designed.
Technology allows aircraft to fly with great precision, through the use of advanced displays, telecommunication, and satellite global positioning. And it’s not just about the technology. A great deal of thought goes into placement and accessibility of that technology. Flight controls are designed to be easy to see in a compact space. A human factors engineer named Julianne Fox Cummings puts it this way: “There’s a reason for the size, shape, placement and appearance of every control, light, switch and feature.

That’s all the time I have for today, but I’m not finished yet! Stay tuned to my blog next week, when I’ll tell you at least six MORE reasons you should be confident in the safety of your own air travel — But that doesn’t mean we’re eliminating the thrills from Flight 12!

 

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