One of the safest forms of travel is on a commercial plane. Over decades, there’s been a consistent decline in the accident rate within the global airline industry.
Right now, there are 1.35 accidents per million flights. Note that I said “accidents,” not “crashes.” Accidents happen on the ground, too. We don’t hear a lot about them because while there may be damage, no one got hurt.
But let’s stick with the worst-case scenarios. In 2023, there were 270 fatalities in commercial jet crashes worldwide. To put that into perspective, there are, on average, just over 101,000 flights per day.
Compare this to the olden days when there were insurance counters and machines at every airport. For a few bucks, you could buy insurance against death or injury in a plane crash at the airport.
Today’s situation reflects the introduction of better aircraft, better technology in the air and on the ground, better air traffic control, better training, more scrutiny and oversight with maintenance, improved safety management and data analytics, global safety standards, and enhanced safety protocols when it comes to ensuring that everyone who goes up also comes down in one piece.
This underscores this maxim: when a plane lands safely, it’s not news. Therefore, when a plane crashes today, it is big news.
Then there are the crashes that don’t involve a big jetliner. Statistically speaking, smaller, private aircraft are more at risk. There are fewer deaths but more crashes.
There are less than 0.01 fatalities per 100,000 hours flown on a large commercial jet. But when we look at private aircraft, the number jumps from 0.01 to 2.3 fatalities per 100,000 hours.
Why? Smaller planes mean they’re more vulnerable to what happens in the sky. On the ground, it’s the difference between being in the cab of an 18-wheeler and on a ten-speed bike. Things like maintenance, inspections, and crew fatigue may be different.
Of course, even one fatality is too many. Every crash is a tragedy. Ad when the accident involves someone famous, well, that is news.
In episode 25, we’re going to look at two private plane accidents that people still talk about. There is plenty of mayhem in these stories.
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