Once in a while you probably hear this famous phrase about air travel, however once in a while you read about this horrific air crash on the news. Who to believe?
Lets rewind back 100 years ago. Imagine back then how it was to fly. Imagine being in one of the airplanes shown on the picture below. Would you dare to board such an aircraft now?
Believe it or not it was more or less the same as nowadays with World War 1 combat aircraft making a revolution in our skies.
Of course, after every major war we tend to see also a major breakthrough in technology. Therefore, aviation wasn’t spared. Engineers back then focused on technology factors and how to make planes safer by creating better components of the aircraft or making them stronger and more reliable. Numerous aircraft types were created and after the World War 2, civil aviation boomed in 1950s and 1960s. Everyone thought if the aircraft is safe we will be safe making the most advanced airplanes with complex aircraft systems that are being used also today.
However incidents and accidents didn’t stop. After numerous investigations it was becoming clear that the cause for disasters in major cases wasn’t technical issue. In the late 60s, 70s and 80s the biggest focus of aviation experts and engineers was on human factors. They thought if we cover the human aspect we will be safe flying. Pilot error and improper communication are often factors in the collision of aircraft. The way to tackle these factors was the introduction of meticulous trainings for flight crew, additional regulations on making sure that flight crew is not incapacitated or somehow impaired to fly, crew resource management etc. After covering most human factors, the incidents and accidents still occurred although at dramatic decrease.
In 90s and early 2000s there was a new buzz in aviation safety. It was the age of organizational factors that need to be covered to be finally safe. Experts and engineers now thought if we make organization (airline, airport, etc.) safe then we will be finally safe to fly in our skies. This era brought the biggest improvement in aviation safety that has impacted how we fly today. Safety management systems were born, communication improved, software solutions enhanced safety, regulations became even tougher on air operators. Forwarding to 2017 we have witnessed the safest year in the history of aviation. Zero fatal accidents in commercial passenger jets. That was a benchmark. However, the following, current, year we have already witnessed several major accidents and proved that we still have not covered everything.
The next stage?
What is the next stage in aviation safety? What is the next buzz term in aviation safety for this era? Systematic factors? We are on track to combining all factors and understanding all underlining forces in the complex aviation world. We need to use technology to achieve full understanding, but there might never be an end of the safety evolution.
One thing for sure, next time you sit on a plane, remember the actual aircraft is so safe that engineers even back in 1950s covered all the technical factors to make aircraft safe for commercial flight. Remember that even human factors are attributed, you are most likely being flown by very experienced pilots who have devoted their whole life learning about aviation and the aircraft you are flying on. Also, remember that behind all of this there is an organization, an airline, that is monitoring everything about safety in their operations to make things go smoothly on all aspects.
There are so many people, experts and engineers, that have made your flight safe before even taking off.
Enjoy your next destination!
