Air travel is the safest mode of transportation

[DrPizza]

The statistics are meaningless... I know everyone likes to compare them as if they're equal, but the statistics for deaths while driving include a lot of categories which really don't apply to all of us. i.e. I'm not likely to crash into a tree at 80mph while drinking.

Would one of you like to find more specific statistics for driving safely (within 6 or 7 mph of the speed limit), sober, and not tired? While I doubt that would make cars safer statistically, I think there would be a significant shift in the stats for driving.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: randomint

Originally posted by: talyn00

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: KK
I believe there are some small planes equiped with chutes. That pitchers plane was equipped, but it doesn't do much good when you hit the side of a building

Yes, on a plane weighing 1500lbs that flies at about 120mph. You'd need a hell of a parachute to slow down a plane 500 times as heavy going 4 times as fast.

I don't believe he was referring to parachutes used to slow a plane, but for passengers to use to escape.

Actually I was talking about parachutes for the plane. I was thinking more along the lines of something that would slow the plane down in the 5-8 minutes it takes it to crash after an engine failure for example. i mean it does take sometime for the plane to plunge down 30000-40000 feet.

Like this?

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=1983465&enterthread=y

EDIT: about 1/5 weight of a fully loaded 747-400

 

[sandorski]

So if you happen to be on the 1 in 1 millionth(guessing) flight that crashes every year you will die! Everyday more people die iin Car Accidents than what will die in Aircraft mishaps in a whole year. There's no reason to fear flying over driving.

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Freakonomics touched on this but if you factor everything in, cars and airplanes are about teh same in danger.

Per hour, but say if you're traveling from one coast to the other, you're going to have to spend a whole lot more time in a car than in an airplane.

 

[SSSnail]

If I can fly to work everyday, I would. On a plane, I don't have to deal with other idiots as I would on the road, don't have to worry about anything but complete mechanical failures and the off chance of freakish natural weather events (as the predictable ones are circumvented).

 

[animalia]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Actually when comparing miles traveled per person per day, cars and planes are nearly identical.

Right, so if you need to travel across the country or need to go to the UK, just fly, it's much more convenient than driving or floating along on a ship.

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: TallBill
Actually when comparing miles traveled per person per day, cars and planes are nearly identical.

Is it only commercial flights in this equation?

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: gsethi

Originally posted by: FoBoT
commercial airliners crash so rarely anymore, i think they have it covered

well..I would wait few more years before saying that statement. The current fleet is just starting to get old (the 737s and the earlier 747s came out in the 80s).

Wait till they get to the 30yr old mark and airlines hesitate to replace them/squeeze every mile out of them ?

whose current fleet?

 

[ThePresence]

<JackieMason>
You know they say that tatistcally air travel is safer than car travel.
Could be.
But I never heard a taxi driver say "34th street" and everyone starts clapping like they can't believe they made it.
Never heard of it.
</JackieMason>

 

[SampSon]

I'll take that risk to get there in a few hours while sleeping, over a few days while driving.

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: sandorski
So if you happen to be on the 1 in 1 millionth(guessing) flight that crashes every year you will die! Everyday more people die in Car Accidents than what will die in Aircraft mishaps in a whole year. There's no reason to fear flying over driving.

Let's not bring reason into this discussion.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: cRazYdood

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Freakonomics touched on this but if you factor everything in, cars and airplanes are about teh same in danger.

Per hour, but say if you're traveling from one coast to the other, you're going to have to spend a whole lot more time in a car than in an airplane.

regardless of the distance, wouldn't it mean every minute you stay in a plane be just as dangerous as being in a car

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: cRazYdood

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Freakonomics touched on this but if you factor everything in, cars and airplanes are about teh same in danger.

Per hour, but say if you're traveling from one coast to the other, you're going to have to spend a whole lot more time in a car than in an airplane.

regardless of the distance, wouldn't it mean every minute you stay in a plane be just as dangerous as being in a car

Yes, but when you're offered to fly down from SF to LA instead of driving, then you should hop on the plane.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: randomint
I still feel alittle uneasy knowing that the chances of surviving a plane crash are extremely slim as opposed to an automobile accident where most crashes don't result in fatalities .

Overwhelmingly, most of the deaths/injuries come from the intense impact of the plane with the surface (land or water). No matter what one does sitting inside the fuselage, it almost impossible to survive a high-speed/altitude crash. The only logical way of minimizing this would be to slow down the speed at which a plane falls to minimize the damage from impact. Isn't there anyone who's working on it? I mean is it really almost impossible to devise a method to accomplish this? Giant parachutes?

Giant parachutes? on a plane weighing ~200 tons empty(747 weight) and flying close to 600 mph? If a plane is going down, there's nothing to stop it. Just get yourself a bus and travel around like John Madden.

I've heard of them, but only on small aircraft in the single engine cessna and smaller size group.

Those smaller airplanes lack the redundant systems of the big airliners and are exponentially more dangerous (airliner pilots are also the best of the best). Adding a fairly large chute is an easy and simple way to save the pilot and possibly the plane if something goes wrong enough to cause the plane to crash while still giving the occupants time to react.