What makes you feel safe?
I worked in Shetland for Loganair, doing the inter-isle flights with BN2 Islanders. Quite a few tourists commented about the diminishing size of their aircraft. They'd start their journey on a widebody to the UK, transfer to a narrowbody from London to Aberdeen, an ATP or Saab 340 to Shetland and, finally, a BN2 to the outer islands. The icing on the cake was that in a number of cases every aircraft was in British Airways colours, from largest to smallest. It used to make me laugh to see the look on their faces. Some of them must have been thinking they were glad there wasn't a subsequent flight to catch - the trend wasn't exactly reassuring
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Coquelet, is that because you are convinced that the superb safety record of commercial aviation will not change even with massive commercial pressures affecting flight operations?
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I don't care about statistics. Even the airline with the worst safety record does not crash an aircraft at each flight, nor every month, nor every year (not even Air France). Thus, I feel safe on any airline, confident that I won't be on their next crash.
I am even sure that, were I involved in an air accident, I will survive (if I am wrong, I won't know it).
I am no more stupid that those who, each time they fly, are sure that their aircraft will crash.
I am even sure that, were I involved in an air accident, I will survive (if I am wrong, I won't know it).
I am no more stupid that those who, each time they fly, are sure that their aircraft will crash.
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I feel pretty safe anyway, but here's a list of things that affect my perception of safety one way or the other. I realize none of these are guarantees, and I suspect some are completely illusory or perhaps even backwards.
Things that make me feel safer:
Large airline (feel it can support better training and procedures)
Established airline (they've had time to develop a good safety culture)
Airline with good safety record (some part of that is luck, but what about the other part)
Airline with good safety culture (based mostly on what I read here)
Airline that pays well, trains well, doesn't overwork flight crew (mostly inferred from what I read here)
Relatively new aircraft design (more likely to have better safety margins, and less likely to have unknown issues)
Large, moderately busy airport
Country with serious regulatory and accident investigation bodies
Country with good air traffic control
Older flight crew on larger planes, younger (but not too young) flight crew on smaller planes
Being able to see out window, especially during take-off and landing
Being able to see aircraft speed, altitude, especially during take-off and landing (used to be able to, but lately that seems never to be available during take-off and landing. very annoying. anyone know if true, why?)
Being able to see aircraft position and direction (especially over long water segments)
Would like to be able to see planned route
Things that make me feel less safe (in addition to opposites to all of the above, and vice versa):
Airlines with questionable behavior (eg an airline that gets flight crew involved in incidents out of the country asap, before they can be interviewed by authorities. (My concern is that that hides bad practices at company. Don't wish to scapegoat crew.))
Budget airline (more likely to barely meet instead of exceed safety requirements, less likely to employ top quality mechanics / flight crew)
Broken bits in passenger compartment, e.g. dodgy seats, not working electronics (if they can't keep the bits we slf see working, what about the stuff we can't)
Apparently old aircraft (only since I can't tell new from refurbished)
Airlines/Airports with multiple similar incidents in recent history (e.g. sleeping controllers)
Flying in unusual circumstances with several similarities to recent unexplained accidents (e.g. at the moment, flying from south america to europe during stormy weather)
Flying at really, really high altitudes (concern about reaction time in case of decompression, coffin corner issues)
Icy conditions
Stormy conditions, especially during take-off and landing
Strong turbulence
Rapid, major changes in engine power, especially during takeoff (I still hate / cannot get comfortable with the common practice of relatively steep takeoff, followed by power reduction and leveling out just afterwards)
Diversions because of equipment failure (had to do that once. some kind of speed sensor)
Unannounced diversions
Travelling with spouse (worse consequences if something does go wrong)
Anything out of the ordinary
Things that make me feel safer:
Large airline (feel it can support better training and procedures)
Established airline (they've had time to develop a good safety culture)
Airline with good safety record (some part of that is luck, but what about the other part)
Airline with good safety culture (based mostly on what I read here)
Airline that pays well, trains well, doesn't overwork flight crew (mostly inferred from what I read here)
Relatively new aircraft design (more likely to have better safety margins, and less likely to have unknown issues)
Large, moderately busy airport
Country with serious regulatory and accident investigation bodies
Country with good air traffic control
Older flight crew on larger planes, younger (but not too young) flight crew on smaller planes
Being able to see out window, especially during take-off and landing
Being able to see aircraft speed, altitude, especially during take-off and landing (used to be able to, but lately that seems never to be available during take-off and landing. very annoying. anyone know if true, why?)
Being able to see aircraft position and direction (especially over long water segments)
Would like to be able to see planned route
Things that make me feel less safe (in addition to opposites to all of the above, and vice versa):
Airlines with questionable behavior (eg an airline that gets flight crew involved in incidents out of the country asap, before they can be interviewed by authorities. (My concern is that that hides bad practices at company. Don't wish to scapegoat crew.))
Budget airline (more likely to barely meet instead of exceed safety requirements, less likely to employ top quality mechanics / flight crew)
Broken bits in passenger compartment, e.g. dodgy seats, not working electronics (if they can't keep the bits we slf see working, what about the stuff we can't)
Apparently old aircraft (only since I can't tell new from refurbished)
Airlines/Airports with multiple similar incidents in recent history (e.g. sleeping controllers)
Flying in unusual circumstances with several similarities to recent unexplained accidents (e.g. at the moment, flying from south america to europe during stormy weather)
Flying at really, really high altitudes (concern about reaction time in case of decompression, coffin corner issues)
Icy conditions
Stormy conditions, especially during take-off and landing
Strong turbulence
Rapid, major changes in engine power, especially during takeoff (I still hate / cannot get comfortable with the common practice of relatively steep takeoff, followed by power reduction and leveling out just afterwards)
Diversions because of equipment failure (had to do that once. some kind of speed sensor)
Unannounced diversions
Travelling with spouse (worse consequences if something does go wrong)
Anything out of the ordinary
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Travelling with spouse
On a more serious note your choices of airlines will probably be narrowed down to some mathematical probability that only Rain Man could figure out!
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Like many before me, I don't get particularly concerned when flying with most airlines, and happily fly on all the FAA/EU blacklisted airlines in the Philippines. However, if I knew that an airline had a particularly horrendous accident rate, I might take a few minutes to think that one through.
Try not to live a life of worry.
Try not to live a life of worry.
Some thoughts before the first coffee of the day is absorbed (so bear it in mind):
A crew that has some common sense and knows when it is ok to be a bit lax. So they can think for themselves when things go wrong.
An airline that handles abnormal situations well and efficiently. The airline I flew with last night was very good at protecting the 40' delay.
Better weather and easier airports where operations can run smoothly.
My belief that when I travel by plane I am safe and I will arrive at my destination. So far it has not failed me - with one diversion. It is much like finding a parking spot on a crowded area.
Rwy in Sight
A crew that has some common sense and knows when it is ok to be a bit lax. So they can think for themselves when things go wrong.
An airline that handles abnormal situations well and efficiently. The airline I flew with last night was very good at protecting the 40' delay.
Better weather and easier airports where operations can run smoothly.
My belief that when I travel by plane I am safe and I will arrive at my destination. So far it has not failed me - with one diversion. It is much like finding a parking spot on a crowded area.
Rwy in Sight
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@ SuperSardine ... that's a very comprehensive and thoughtful list.
I've only just popped back in, and I'm sorry that nobody even bothered to acknowledge you input or even welcome you to the gutter where the SLF live
Fly safe
I've only just popped back in, and I'm sorry that nobody even bothered to acknowledge you input or even welcome you to the gutter where the SLF live
Fly safe
Está servira para distraerle.
For me the greatest degree of blue blanket safety security was provided when the rather pretty first officer had sufficient confidence in her captain so as to leave him alone in the cockpit while she trembled my knees between hers in the aft lavatory shortly after top of drop into Palm Springs one dark and stormy night not so long ago.
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult
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Having a lot of good and respected friends in the industry who's attitude to flying I realise applies to the greater majority of airline staff!
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I have flown in small and large aircraft and feel quite safe until the seatbelt sign comes on and the intercom says we are expecting turbulance. From then on I cringe, go very very quiet and worry until sign goes off. I had a terrible flight due to turbulance some years ago in a 747 across the Pacific .
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Northern
Happiness is setting foot on an aircraft owned from new by the same Airline for 20+ years and still going strong, to me that speaks volumes, unless they lost the other 10, but most don't ;-)
Just a UK view point.
Bored
Just a UK view point.
Bored
