The importance of safety in aviation cannot be stressed enough. Although many would agree that safety is cost driven, it is the cornerstone of a business that many, if not all countries in the world rely on heavily. Without the public’s trust in agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Europe’s Joint Aviation Authority (JAA), aviation as we know it today would not exist. Aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Bell, and Lockheed Martin have come a long way regarding aircraft design and reliability. Having airworthy aircraft is only half of the pie that makes aviation safe and reliable. There are many other slices contribute to aviation safety that include cost, survivability of aircraft, and competency training for pilots, maintainers, air traffic controllers, emergency response teams and everyone else in between. Although superior aircraft and infrastructure design and adequate training play a huge part in making flight safer, we can never totally eliminate risks or hazards, only minimize them to a level which is acceptable.
Researchers from the U-M Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) conclude that the distance of a typical non-stop flight which is roughly 1,157 km or 719 miles, is statistically sixty-five times safer than driving a route of the same distance. This study was done not only on normal flights, but the events of September 11, 2001 were also incorporated into the equation. More than 42,000 lives are lost annually in driving-related accidents as opposed to the annual average of 646 lives lost in aviation-related accidents.
Continuing our education and staying up-to-date with our industry is imperative to maintain and improve upon the aviation industry’s safety reputation.
No comments:
Post a Comment