With more planes in the air and more total time spent in the air during travel, aviation safety is more important than ever. While air safety has been important since the very beginning of flight for man, in today’s technological world with many complicated systems in operation during a flight paying attention to the details is important. When it comes to aviation safety, there are two main areas to look at; the human factor and the technology factor.
The Human Factor
While the aircraft could be a well maintained top of the line flying machine, human error could lead to a crash. Whether it’s on the ground (the air traffic controller) or in the air (the pilot or someone else on the plane), one wrong move can equal disaster. Beyond the people controlling and guiding the plane, the actions of the passengers and the rest of the crew can play a big part in airline safety.
The Technology Factor
Sometimes, even when the human factor doesn’t come into play, parts break down. When technology fails, planes crash. Sometimes people survive, but a lot of times aircraft disasters lead to a lot of deaths, which is a tragedy. The proper upkeep and maintenance of all a plane’s technical parts (there are a lot of them in modern planes) is vital for proper aviation safety.
What can be done?
You know aviation safety is important, but what can be done about it? There are some things you can do as a consumer, but there are other things that should be taken care of by the authorities.
Aviation Safety Points for the Airline Consumer:
- Stay Calm – In the event of an emergency, the more calm you are, the better chance you have of surviving. Being calm allows the crew to do what they need to do and also avoids getting other people on the flight worked up by your panic.
- Listen – Listen to any special commands or instructions given in the case of an emergency. The more you listen to those in charge, the better your chances of surviving an accident.
Aviation Safety Points for the Airline Industry:
- Runway safety – Safety of runways and the software and computer systems used to run them is a big area that needs more attention.
- Requiring Image Recorders – Requiring image recorders in cockpits would go a long way in letting aviation safety officials determine what happens during a particular crash so it can possibly be avoided in the future.
- Icy Conditions – Looking into ways to combat the prevalence of ice playing a role in fatal aviation crashes might help with reducing the number of airline fatalities caused by icy conditions.