Question:
Do I have a fear of flying? If so or if not, I have several safety questions?
2011-01-16 17:43:14 UTC
I'm not afraid of the general idea of flying, but I feel much more comfortable driving on highways with careless drivers than I am with flying thousands of miles above the ground in a metal tomb with my life entrusted with strangers and the competences of the engineers and mechanics who built and repair this complex machine.

1) What is the number one safety problem that the aviation industry needs to address? It could be anything-security, flight maintenance, air traffic control, etc. Why hasn't the issue been fixed?

2) Has language skills ever been a problem in pilots contacting air traffic control? Has it ever resulted in a crash?

3) How common are tailstrikes? Are they mostly due to pilot incompetence?

4) If an aircraft's hydraulic fluid is completely leaked out due to an explosion of some sort, are the chances of an emergency landing essentially zero?

5) Does adverse weather cause phugoids? When are phugoids fatal?

6) If an explosion damages the flight control cables in midflight, are the chances of survival zero?

7) How differently do traffic collision avoidance system and ground proximity warning systems work? Would they both work if the plane is flying upside down?

8) What other object identification systems are there? Why aren't planes equipped with missile detecting systems?

9) Are ground proximity warning systems equally as valuable as altitude indicators to prevent collisions with terrain?

10) If a plane's static wicks are broken, what would happen to the plane after lightning strikes it? Would the electricity reach the fuselage and cause the plane to explode?

11) Are flight plans these days compiled by computers? Is there any chance of a computer glitch resulting in a flight plan for a plane to fly in a particular situation where it shouldn't be?
Four answers:
?
2011-01-16 18:06:28 UTC
I'm still bored, so here we go...I would be terrified too if my plane was flying thousands of miles above the ground!



1) The system is constantly evolving. Every crash that happens results in new rules and procedures that make aviation safer. It's a terrible thought, but it could be that the purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others...



2) Yes, there have been language issues in the past. The international language of aviation is English, so strong accents could be difficult to understand. Aviation is so automated now though that the chances are more slim of it causing a crash.



3) They happen, often as a result of pilot error, sometimes from gusting winds and such.



4) Aircraft have backup systems, but in the rare case of a total failure it is still possible to land. Several airliners have had control failures and had to guide the aircraft to landing using only engine thrust. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Baghdad_DHL_attempted_shootdown_incident



5) The chance of a crash caused by a phugoid is extremely slim.



6) Nope. In airliners, control surfaces are hydraulically actuated, see question 4.



7) TCAS will, GPWS won't. You will never fly on an airliner flying upside down.



8) Civilian planes are not equipped with missile warning systems because there is no real threat to them by missiles. Also, if a missile was detected, there is almost nothing the plane could do to avoid it. The systems are heavy and expensive, and the astronomically slim risk does not justify the billions of dollars it would cost to implement.



9) More so, as they combine descent rate and altitude to calculate if the aircraft is at risk.



10) It would not explode.



11) Flight plans are made humans, calculated by computer, then reviewed again by humans before being flown. If anything, it is safe as it reduces the chances of a pilot messing up the calculations.
Pilsner Man
2011-01-16 17:57:55 UTC
Your questiones rants are way too long.
clncarplz
2011-01-16 17:57:45 UTC
Yes you do. And yes too many questions to ask.
2016-09-24 08:26:03 UTC
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