h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi,

I'm a pilot with a major airline in the states, so I too spend quite a bit of time in the air. I found your take on statistics interesting (especially the lottery analogy)--well said. However, if you follow the guidelines you set out in your article (along with taking seriously the safety briefing the flight attendants give before departure), flying is a VERY safe form of transportation. But like ALL forms of transportation--including walking--there will always be inherent risks no matter how diligently all involved strive towards everyone's ultimate goal of eliminating all accidents.

As you have said, nearly all accidents result from a chain of mistakes. Commercial aviation has a plethora of safeguards to attempt to break that chain before it culminates in an accident--and even once there is an accident, there are further safeguards to sever the chain afterwards to attempt to prevent fatalities. Yes, the system can, and occasionally does, breakdown. However, because the diligent efforts of the designers and engineers who develop the aircraft, the instructors who continually train us, the flight crews whose professionalism and self preservation requires us to do our damnedest to ensure safety, the air traffic controllers, and crash/fire/rescue personnel, the chain IS broken tens of thousands times a day.

BTW, I also stick with major carriers and avoid ALL Third World and Middle Eastern air carriers (I know there is a good bit of prejudice in that statement; however, until I am aware of all the details proving that a foreign flagged carrier meets the level of safety that my company demonstrates today, I'm not getting on board).

Happy Holidays,
Jay

I'm a pilot too, albeit a Private one- Yes, 'Break the Chain' is more or less my motto for safe flying. That and 'Never assume, Check it!'
I'm still alive so far......

I'm a pilot too, and as safety conscious as I can be. But, I still get a buzz from going IMC (as we call it in the UK), into cloud. Despite my instrument training and radar service from ATC, there's still something slightly surreal about flying around without being able to see. Maybe I'll grow out of it...

Ned

Not much of a view, though....