How safe is flying?
Statistically, flying is the safest form of transport. Millions of planes and passengers fly every year and you only ever hear about the ones that crash, and not about the overwhelming majority that fly and land safely. I used to be a nervous flier too, mainly because I don’t do it very often I guess, then last time I flew I had such a good calm flight out in perfect weather and no turbulence that when it was time to return I just took a few deep breaths and decided (consciously) not to worry and it worked! The return journey was a bit bumpy but I closed the window blind and concentrated on my magazine until the turbulence was behind us and I knew it was ok. It’s natural to be a little nervous, but try distractions, or sleeping, or watching the inflight movie, eat and drink and go to the loo and before you know it you will have arrived safely. Enjoy your flight and your weekend, bon voyage!
Flying is one of the safest ways of travelling. That safety is ensured by the very high standards set both for aviation equipment and personnel. All staff involved in technical and flight operations are selected based on tough criteria. They have to go through ongoing training to keep abreast of the latest developments. Aircraft are designed to withstand far greater stresses than they might actually encounter. Before a new type of aircraft receives an operating licence from a national aviation authority, it is exposed to a series of rigorous tests. All major systems on-board are backed up by identical systems as emergency standbys. Vital systems are meticulously monitored, so that any fault can automatically be detected and remedied in-flight. To guard against possible failure due to wear and tear or long hours of operation, many components are regularly replaced in preventive maintenance before they show any signs of wear. Every aircraft is serviced and overhauled at regular intervals
