Accident statistics for all modes of transport table. The safest mode of transport statistics in Russia. The safest seats in a subway car

Due to some of the hype surrounding the all-know-what airline and the growing fears of gossips and other sufferers, I decided to write this post in defense of "aircraft" and aviation as such.

Here I will try to answer some, as it seems to me, questions that often pop up on Gossip and speak on the safety of aircraft as such.

Opinion: "It's terrible, in Russian aviation so many buckets of bolts that miraculously take off and miraculously land - every time, like Russian roulette."

Answer: this is both true and not true. More than that, I don't think it's true. Everywhere - in any country, in any airline there are planes in which something will be done / repaired that is not 100% perfect. An aircraft is a complex system that requires constant repair and maintenance; it is simply impossible to eliminate absolutely all errors and prevent all imperfections. But that doesn't make planes - not here, not anywhere else - a bucket of bolts. The design of the aircraft is based on the principle of MINIMALIZATION of damage to other parts of the structure, in the event of a malfunction of any one. Roughly speaking, if one thing breaks down, (with very rare exceptions) it is always possible to safely land the plane.

Also, it should be taken into account that any plane crash has a very strong impact on the image of the company and even the country, so no one will release the “bucket of bolts” into flight.

On trifles: an old plane is not necessarily bad, a slight shaking in the plane or, for example, going to the second round is not a reason to panic. You don't break into tears if you're shaking a little in the car, do you? It's just the nature of the road. So for an airplane, these are simply the features of the air corridor, provided for by the design of the aircraft and the preparedness of the pilot.

For clarity, we can take as a criterion - for how many flight hours a particular model, on average, had a disaster. The crashed A321 aircraft was from the Airbus A320 family - according to samolety.org, it corresponds to a result of 1 accident per 14 050 200 flight hours (and this is far from the worst result). The crashed plane had a total operating time 55 772 flight hours. For comparison, the most dangerous is the Boeing 737 JT8D with one crash in 507,500 flight hours.

Conclusion: A plane crash is always an exceptional case, caused by many factors. It is impossible to say that the entire fleet of aircraft of a company/airport/country is bad and it is dangerous to fly with them. Defects can be detected (almost) everywhere, a malfunction in itself cannot lead to a catastrophe, it can only lead coincidence .

How likely is this "coincidence"? Let's move on to the next question -

Opinion: "Airplanes are not the most safe view transport?"

Answer: I think the picture will be indicative:

The picture shows relative safety different types transport compared per unit of distance traveled by them. Statistics are stubborn things.

Opinion: "Obviously, it was a bomb. How can an engine explode all of a sudden?"

Answer: maybe there was an explosion, maybe not. Theoretically, not only an explosion can lead to a breakdown of an aircraft. Once again, a plane crash is always Very complex investigation.

Can theoretically explode the engine - maybe. The engine may, for example, catch fire - and then you should turn it off completely. History knows safe landings when turning off both one and two engines (for example, Boeing crash 737 at New Orleans - the plane landed without thrust from both engines). And, for example, in 2010, even with an engine explosion, the plane landed safely (see the Incident with the Airbus A380 over Batam Island).

In a tense environment in society, it is natural that people easily see disasters as a terrorist act, but this is not necessarily the case. When an American Airlines airliner crashed into the New York suburb of Queens two months after 9/11, everyone assumed it was a terrorist attack until it was proven otherwise - turbulence and pilot error were to blame.

And now let's move on to the main thing - Why do planes still crash and what has been done for our safety?

The most common cause of air crashes is human error.

According to statistics, the reasons are distributed as follows:

Pilot errors - 50%:

unprovoked pilot errors - 29%,

pilot errors caused by adverse weather conditions - 16%,

pilot errors caused by equipment failures - 5%.

Aircraft failures - 22%.

Errors of ground personnel (air traffic controllers, aircraft technicians, etc.) - 7%.

Other reasons - 1%.

Most dangerous area flight - this is takeoff and landing due to low flight altitude and, as a result, lack of time to assess the problem and solve it.

The graph below shows the number of registered aviation incidents depending on the year. As you can see, the curve goes down. Further copy-paste from one site:

Every second there are from 4,000 to 10,000 aircraft in the air! Tens of thousands of flights are made every day. Every year, more than 5 billion people fly on airplanes, that is, figuratively, the entire population of the Earth. The total number of victims of air crashes is 300-400 people. ONE does not return from the flight! out of 12 million people. That is, in Moscow, conditionally, one person dies per year!

But in various accidents, the capital loses about 30 thousand people annually, i.e. 30,000 times more. It is much more dangerous to ride a bus, you are not afraid of buses, right? If a passenger takes a random flight every day, it will take him 21,000 years to have an accident.

My short commentary on possible flight hazards and preventive protection measures: as you can see, pilot error is the main reason. And a lot has been done in this area today - in addition to serious training, a lot of training on computer models, stress resistance tests, an autopilot has been introduced everywhere - this means that the autopilot is largely responsible for the flight, which is not frightened and not distracted, but steers the plane accurately in accordance with the data received from the devices. (from the shaking often mentioned by gossips, for example, it will lead). If necessary, the autopilot can be turned off - in case dangerous situations Pilots always have a "hazard instruction" with them, which clearly states what to do and how to get the aircraft out of danger.

Needless to say, even the hierarchy of pilots and their "freedom of action" are also strictly regulated?

Aircraft failures - with the development of the world, breakdowns occur less and less and even the worst hypothetical situations are better foreseen. For example, if an aircraft loses key flight altitude sensors, in today's globalized world it is possible to quickly dispatch a rescue aircraft to guide the "lost" aircraft to the airport.

Weather conditions - and everything is fine here. Now we are able to detect even such "little things" as micro-vortices and flocks of birds.

Terrorism - Act of terrorism in the air in the entire history of aviation, they are unlikely to count more than a couple of dozen. It’s always terrible when it does happen, but it’s impossible to say that this is a common phenomenon that you should be afraid of.

Controller errors - most likely a relic of the past - were almost always caused by poor technique, in a couple of cases by overworking them. The technology today is obviously much better and more accurate, and in order to prevent the second case, the rules for observing aircraft as such were largely revised - so that the load on the controller was reduced, and his actions were checked at the time.

Generally, I would like to wish us all a calm flight, without catastrophes and incidents. The dead will forever remain in the memory of people, any catastrophe is, of course, a huge loss and too high a price for the fact that we will learn something else and revise something else.

And finally, a few more facts about airplanes from the site (samolety.org):

The plane stays in the air as confidently as any car on the road, and the ship at sea.

In an airplane, absolutely all systems are duplicated, and some even have 2-3 spare duplicates: often in an airplane 4 brake systems, 3 chassis release systems, 3 fuel systems 3 fire fighting systems, 3 control systems, etc.

At passenger aircraft, least, two engines. The failure of all engines at once is negligible. For example, on average, a single engine failure occurs for 2 million flight hours, which is 228 years of continuous operation!

According to existing requirements for aircraft passenger aviation, the aircraft, in case of failure of one of the engines, must retain the ability to fly without reduction (at normal flight weight and in simple weather conditions) and safely make a normal landing.

For example, on the popular Boeing 737, the scheduled time for an emergency flight on one engine is 2 hours.

The engine is one of the most expensive parts of an aircraft. His price about 10 million dollars Therefore, they are very carefully monitored and cared for.

Each plane crash has its own reason, and often not one, but a combination of circumstances. Each such case is carefully studied and measures are taken to ensure that it does not happen again.

Every year, the total passenger traffic increases by 10%, and the number of accidents decreases by 15%.

Choosing what to get from point A to point B, we take into account 2 factors - speed and safety. long trips narrow down the choice vehicle. Today we will discuss the degree of danger of popular modes of transport.

Public opinion

"What is the safest transport?" - this was the question asked by VTsIOM sociologists. Monitoring was carried out for 3 years. Throughout the time, the opinion of Russians has not changed much. Considered safe:

• Metro - 69%;
• bus and tram - 68%;
• trains - 51%;
• cars -48%;
• trolley bus - 40%;
• ferries - 38%.

It is interesting to see how the attitude of people towards air travel has changed. In 2011, only 22% of respondents named the aircraft as the safest mode of transport. The following year, the number increased to 33%, and in 2013 it fell to 16%.

Director of the center V. Fedorov notes that information affects the indicators. Major plane crashes 2013 caused a drop in citizens' confidence in aircraft.

Statistics

Official data differ from the position of ordinary Russians. First, let's find out how the death rate is determined for different vehicles.

There are several methods. The most accurate and common is the calculation of the number of deaths per 100 million km or 160 million miles.

Each transport group has the safest types of cars, motorcycles, etc. But the average option "as a whole" is taken. American Bureau of Statistics DERT in 2000. calculated the crude death rate as follows:

• Aircraft - 0.5;
• buses - 0.4;
• trains - 0.6;
• minibuses - 1.2;
• water transport - 2.6;
• cars - 3.1;
• bicycles - 44.6;
• on foot - 54.2;
• motorcycle - 108.9.

Based on the coefficient of flights - 0.5, a person needs to fly 200 million km in order for him (according to statistics!) to have an accident. According to statistics, the safest mode of transport is the plane. It is followed by rail and water transport. In order not to be unfounded, I will take the latest reports as a basis.

Aviation-safety.net has been tracking aviation accidents since 1996. From June 1 to November 1, 2017 in the world crashed or committed emergency landing 117 aircraft, 279 people died.

For the first five months current year in Russia alone, 5,770 people died as a result of road accidents and another 71,461 were injured. Even the most safe cars unable to reduce this number.

According to regnum.ru, for 5 months the trains had the least results: 41 people were killed, 172 were injured.

Planes take to the air every 3 seconds. Therefore, the figures are quite comparable and give a general idea of ​​the number of victims over the same period of time. Yearly from the wreck air transport about 1000 people die, on the railway - up to two thousand.

Aviation

by the most safe means you can’t call a car a movement. In addition, the opinion that it is impossible to survive in a plane crash is also erroneous. If we refer to the resource table for registering incidents, we can see that in most cases there were no casualties. 500 accidents in the United States over 20 years accounted for 5% of deaths.

If we take from the sum only major crashes, then the mortality rate will be about 50%.

In 2007, Popular Mechanics magazine named the most safe places in airplane. Journalists analyzed the data National Council US security for 30 years. They drew attention to the dependence of the number of victims on the place.

Nearly 70% of the survivors remain in the section beyond the edge of the aircraft's wing. Survive 56% of those sitting above the wing. The main impact in a collision with the ground falls on the nose of the liner, so the tail is relatively safe.

There are also statistics safe aircraft. Here are the top five:

• Airbus A340 - 341 aircraft of this type have been produced in 24 years. During 13.5 million flight hours, 5 accidents were recorded and no one was injured;
• Airbus A330 - 577 copies. 1 accident per 14 million flight hours. Total lost 8 pieces, 346 deaths;
• Boeing 747 - 1 accident in 17.5 million departures. 941 ships are in operation, 51 are lost as a result of accidents, 3732 people died.
• Boeing 737 NG - since 1997 3 tragedies occurred (1/17 million hours).

Interesting fact: Boeing 747 is officially certified to fly without 1 engine (out of 4). Those. in case of failure, he can safely continue the flight to the destination, without emergency landings.

The Boeing 777 is considered the safest aircraft in the world. The total flight time of 748 copies since 1995 has amounted to more than 20 million hours. 3 people died in two incidents. In the entire history, one ship has been lost. It is important to understand that the rating is compiled without taking into account hostilities and terrorist attacks..

Motor transport

Oddly enough, the car familiar to us is one of the most dangerous means movement, yielding perhaps to motorcycles. Let's think about your safety in the car. The testauto.ru resource publishes the data of the largest companies conducting crash tests. Based on this rating, we will determine the safest cars.

In the column overall score, “excellent” is given to Volkswagen Passat, Volvo XC-90, Toyota RAV-4, Toyota Prius, Mercedess E-class and C-class, Lexus GS, Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Such popular brands as BMV 3 series, Dodge Caliber, Honda Accord VI, Honda Civic Hathback V, Honda CR-V, Volvo S-70 and S-80 and a number of other cars passed the “good” test.

The main criteria for scoring are frontal and side impacts, coups, child safety. You can familiarize yourself with other assessments in detail on the indicated site, but we have listed all the excellent students. The source calls the Volvo XC90 the safest car in the world with reference to EuroNCAP specialists. The device dialed maximum amount stars.

Interestingly, in the evaluation system of some crash tests there is an indicator "pedestrians". Unfortunately, if you look at the table, it becomes clear that these participants traffic virtually unprotected. Be careful on the roads!

Safe seats in the cabin

Automobile

Do you know what is the safest place in a car? Most people are convinced it's behind the driver's seat. If the vehicle is hit in the side, then the chances of salvation will be equal for the driver and the passenger sitting behind.

The center of the vehicle is least susceptible to damage in an accident. That's why the middle between the two rear seats is considered the safest place in the car.

Public transport

Least dangerous to borrow central places public transport. The logic is similar: the highest probability of collision with cars moving on the left. Accordingly, passengers sitting by the window will be under attack.

It is also not recommended to sit on the back four rows. On the first seats, it is better to sit behind the driver's seat, especially if the seats are located with their backs in the direction of travel. The middle of the cabin remains the safest place on the bus.

Other payment options

This article considers one option for calculating safety, in terms of passenger-kilometers. The question can be answered in terms of the number of deaths per billion hours. Then, the buses will come out in first place, and the planes will go down to third. If we take a billion trips as a basis, trains will become the leader, air travel will move to seventh place.

All methods have advantages and disadvantages. Extras use different algorithms. It is enough for us to know that it is safer to travel by land for short distances, and by air for long distances. Well, the safest transport is a spaceship. He is unbeatable in any case. In the entire history of space exploration, 18 people have died.

We introduced you to the transport safety calculation systems, introduced you to the course of sociological surveys. Now, the word is yours. What is your preferred means of transportation? We are waiting for your comments!

Reading time: 7 min.

Every day, millions of people learn from the news feed about car accidents, derailed trains, crashed planes and other accidents that end in a great number of deaths. The question arises, how to protect yourself from trouble and what kind of transport is the safest? In order not to indulge in fear, we present to your attention a list of the safest transport in the world, according to this year's statistical reports.

This type of transport, justifiably, is considered the most dangerous in the world. This is confirmed by statistics - 125 dead per 1.5 billion kilometers. Anyone who prefers this type of vehicle is seriously endangering himself, and very consciously. Motorcyclists make up only 1% of the total flow on the highway, but a fifth of all accidents fall on this type of transport. Motorists gave motorcyclists the nickname "crunches" for a reason. The reason for this was a very low percentage of passive safety, a huge acceleration, a huge speed of movement and aspects related to psychology: a love of extreme sports and adrenaline rushes in the body. Motorcyclists often find themselves in the "blind spot" for cars because they are so small.

According to statistics, there are 35 deaths for every 1.5 billion kilometers. This is the most environmentally friendly transport, but at the same time one of the most unsafe. But, in truth, car drivers are more to blame for accidents than cyclists themselves. It often happens that the car has only a few scratches, but the cyclist, along with his transport, is between life and death.

Statistics in this case give numbers in 25 dead people 1.5 billion kilometers. The most dangerous incidents that happen in the subway are fire, crush, train collisions. A large number of people in a small closed space- panic and a huge percentage of victims. IN Russian Federation the leader in such incidents is the Moscow Metro.

Traveling by water has always been a very risky undertaking. Of course, over the centuries of technological development, now water transport has become much safer, but nevertheless, for every 1.5 billion kilometers, there are 20 deaths. Although the main cause of death remains not collisions with other ships, but passengers falling overboard.

Here statistics give such figures - 7 dead per 1.5 billion kilometers. The danger of flying in outer space is in no way comparable to the earthly one - traveling in space is 17 times safer than riding a motorcycle. For all the time of travel in space, only three vehicles did not return to Earth (the only thing that negatively affects the statistical reports is explosions during spacecraft takeoffs).

Minibus trips suggest 5 deaths per 1.5 billion kilometers. It is one of the most popular modes of transport among the population. To protect yourself in fixed-route taxi it is best to take a seat in the middle. Here the size of the car, stable grip and passive safety will already play. Unfortunately, the main cause of accidents remains the low level of qualification of drivers.

Here, statisticians give such figures - 4 dead per 1.5 billion kilometers. The development of technology has also affected cars, now passive and active safety is on a completely different level. Unfortunately, motorists are most dependent on other road users. You can be the most skillful and careful driver in the world, but this still does not insure against the fact that someone can crash into you and, as a result, you will end up in a clinic or even worse.

Buses are in third place in the ranking, statistics show one fatality per 1.5 billion kilometers. If you want to travel safely, then this transport is for you. Sometimes it turns out that the bus route has more than one thousand kilometers (for example, in Australia, a bus that travels along the Perth-Brisbane route travels 5455 kilometers). But it's still safe to travel by bus.

The train is one of the safest modes of transport. Just think about it - only 0.2 dead per 1.5 billion kilometers of road. Railway in America and Europe is the safest in the world. In Russia, things are going a little worse - 0.7 dead on the same piece of road. If you calculate the probability of dying on a train, it will be 1 in 431800 degrees (approximately 0.0002%). The Investopedia resource cites data that says that the probability of dying in a car accident is 1000 times more than a railway one.

Paradoxically to many, airplanes are the safest means of transport in the world. The probability that you will die during a flight on an airplane is 1: 8,000,000. The problem is that although planes crash very rarely, it always entails a large number of victims. Therefore, the media always covers such incidents and psychologically people begin to be afraid of flying by plane. There are 0.5 deaths per 1.5 billion kilometers. The Aviation Safety Agency claims that a person will die in a car accident with a probability of 1 in 8 million. And self-destructive individuals need to take a ticket every day on a random flight, for 21 thousand years, in order to accomplish their plans.

calculate, what mode of transport is the safest, not so easy. To build a beautiful and visual graph, at least two indicators are required - the number of dead or injured, as well as the number of people who use this type of transport. For air, rail and water transport it is not difficult to find this data, because thanks to tickets, each person is taken into account. But with transport automotive problems. Tracking the movement of the average Russian from work, to work and to the store is not possible - after all, no one passes registration to leave on the threshold of their home.

Our transport safety rating according to statistics for 2018 was compiled using various sources - from the data of the National Union of Insurers, which keep statistics on registered insured events from 2012 to the present, to data on traffic accidents on the Rosstat website.

> 200 deaths per 1.6 billion km

Although the number of motorcycle accidents has decreased by more than 70% since 2005, the motorcycle is still one of the most dangerous species transport. According to statistics, it turns out that every 1.6 billion kilometers of the way are paid for by the lives of more than two hundred drivers and their passengers.

A motorcycle, like another two-wheeled vehicle - a bicycle - is characterized by increased vulnerability, so accidents involving motorcyclists are highly likely to end sadly. The reason is non-compliance with the rules of the road, and, surprisingly, the fundamental refusal of some drivers to use a helmet.

5.75 people per 1.6 billion km

In second place in the number of road accidents are private cars. In total, at least 5.75 people die in 1.6 billion kilometers of the way.

The reasons are both the unwillingness of drivers to comply with the rules of the road, and the condition of the roadway, the increased wear and tear of the vehicle fleet due to the crisis and the deterioration in the purchasing power of the population. And also (due to the increase in the average age of life) and the aging of drivers. All these factors together ensure that automobile transport Russia will not be safe for a long time.

9.4 deaths per 1 million passengers

Among air transport, the greatest danger to human life is not international shipping, and long-distance. Especially if a person in a helicopter is forced to go to those parts where even the notorious Makar prefers not to drive his calves. Perhaps this is the reason for such a high number of casualties among helicopter passengers. For every 1 million people, at least 9.4 are injured. Have to fall from high altitude, and, with a high degree of probability, the injuries will be incompatible with life.

5 dead per 1.5 billion km

Fixed-route taxis are by no means the safest form of transport in Russia. According to statistics, every 1.5 billion kilometers traveled by a minibus are paid for with five human lives. Among the reasons can be named both the work of drivers for wear and tear, and the design miscalculations of minibuses, the condition of the roads, the unwillingness to follow the rules of the road and drunk driving.

2.84 injured per 1 million transported

Several things happened in 2018 major incidents involving intercity buses, including a tragic accident in Voronezh region, when two buses collided, five people died and 17 were injured. In general, according to statistics, intercity and international buses not distinguished by safety - for every million passengers transported in accidents, at least 2.84 are injured or killed. In total for 2018 trips to intercity buses brought death to more than 600 passengers, and injured more than 13 thousand people.

2.3 accidents per 1 million passengers

This category includes both international ships and domestic river carriers. In total, in 2018, 62 incidents occurred during sea and river travel, which ended tragically for five people. In general, according to NSS statistics, for every million passengers carried, there are 2.3 accidents.

Passengers on sea and river boats not only the water element threatens, but also the fire element. One of common causes traffic accidents - a sudden outbreak of fire on board a ship, usually caused by a malfunction of the electrical wiring. This is not surprising, given that the Russian domestic fleet is in a deplorable state, and almost a third of the ships have celebrated 40 years of operation.

Probability of dying: 1:11,000,000

The safest transport in the world, however, in Russia it is not possible to obtain accurate statistics on the number of accidents per number of passengers. The data of the National Association of Insurers, on which we relied when assessing the risk of other modes of transport, are not available for them. The reason is the peculiarities of the insurance system in Russia; most air transport companies carry their passengers not only within the country, but also abroad. Therefore, they use international insurance policies.

That's why the plane is the safest mode of transport: according to statistics, the odds of dying in an accident on board an aircraft are 1 in 11 million. For comparison: the chances of being struck by lightning while walking in a thunderstorm are 16 times higher!

0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers

This category includes both intercity and international trains, as well as ordinary commuter trains. In general, for 2018, the statistics for Russian Railways look excellent - for almost the entire year, from January to November, only seven accidents were registered. Unfortunately, there were no deaths - one person died. In general, there are no more than 0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers.

Everyone prefers to use one of the safest modes of transport more people, and one price does not explain it. After all, for some destinations, the cost of plane and train tickets is almost equal. According to the Russian Railways website, for 2018 in trains long distance transported almost 8% more passengers than last year. And the growth in the number of passengers on electric trains amounted to almost 3%.

0.09 cases per million transported

Trolleybus is in second place in terms of safety among modes of transport in Russia. According to NSS statistics, there are only 0.09 accidents for every million passengers carried. Most of them are banal “stumbled and fell”.

The reasons for the low injury rate of a trolleybus are very simple - its volume and weight, as well as its low speed. In the event of a collision with, for example, car much worse for a car. And the passengers of the trolleybus will get off with light bruises.

0.04 affected out of 1,000,000 people

The safest transport according to statistics for 2018 in terms of the ratio of the number of accidents to the number of passengers. In total, out of one million arrivals from point A to point B, no more than 0.04 people are injured. In addition to safety, the tram has many advantages:

• it moves more smoothly than a car and even a trolleybus;
• less noisy;
• completely autonomous from traffic jams (unless, of course, motorists are trying to drive along the tracks);
• of all urban transport causes the least harm to the environment.

Unfortunately, trams are gradually disappearing from small towns in Russia. The reason is the limited local budget, which is simply unable to support a separate line. In total, over the past twenty years, the number of trams has decreased by more than 35%. Does this mean that the safest mode of transport will gradually disappear from the urban landscape?

The plane is the safest form of transport on Earth, even cars and trains are significantly inferior in safety to airplanes. Despite this, with each new disaster, there are more and more aerophobes. Many people in the world are afraid of airplanes, mistakenly believing that other modes of transport are much safer. Is it true that the chance of an accident is high? And is the plane the safest mode of transport? We need to figure it out.

Statistics and odds

To determine that the plane is the safest mode of transport, you should familiarize yourself with the statistics. On average, seventeen disasters are officially recorded per year. It is important to understand that these sad events took place not only in Russia, but throughout the world. For a hundred years of existence civil aviation during flights, hundreds of thousands of people became victims of air crashes. That's less than a year in car accidents.

It is worth noting that the number of cargo flight crashes is no less than that of passenger flights, which is another argument in favor of choosing the aircraft. The chance of falling is so low that a person would rather die from a lightning strike than from a plane crash. Statistical analysis led to the conclusion that public opinion regarding transport safety is based on fears and superstitions.

Flight safety

It is worth mentioning the positive qualities of flights. This is the most quick view transport. It can also be said that the safest mode of transport is an airplane. To agree with this statement, you should study all the history of flights. As you can see, the list of air crashes is small.

Engine failure

Flights are the safest form of travel. This has been proven over the centuries since the beginning of aviation. The aircraft flies thanks to the wings, during landing, takeoff and flight, its movements are controlled by engines. But what happens if they refuse?

If one engine fails, the passenger will not feel it, because the plane can be controlled by the second engine. And even if both break down, the plane will not fall at a right angle down, but will begin to glide in the air for about two hundred kilometers indefinitely.

Turbulence

It is not often that you meet such a person who did not fall into the turbulence zone during flights. Everyone describes it as pitching. What is it? Turbulence is when, during the acceleration of liquids or gases in the external environment, vortices are formed that irritate the external environment.

Many passengers are wondering: can turbulence cause a tragedy? This cannot happen. The plane is designed so that in order for it to fall due to turbulence, you need a force that can only be found in the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter.

Pilots try to avoid turbulence, and planes can endure incredible shaking, so in terrestrial conditions the chance of falling from turbulence tends to be zero. Only once in the history of mankind has a plane crashed due to turbulence, when the pilot decided to fly over a volcano. Therefore, turbulence is only a comfort issue, not a safety issue.

Flying in bad weather

Pilots are well versed in weather conditions. For a certain time before departure, they look at the forecast for the route, so as not to get into a storm. If the weather forecast does not comply with safety regulations, the flight is canceled or rescheduled for another day. Before starting their career, pilots undergo many tests on simulators, learn to act decisively and calmly in any situation.

How much wind shear affects flight

Wind shear is a sudden change in the movement and/or speed of air over a short distance in the atmosphere. This is an important factor influencing aircraft during takeoff and landing. It applies not only to aircraft, but also to other types of aircraft.

Wind shear occurs in the lowest layers of the atmosphere (up to a hundred meters in height). Modern aircraft have a large mass, which makes them more inert. High inertia prevents the aircraft from changing its speed quickly. Keeping the aircraft at this speed when flying through different levels wind leads to a change in the speed in the air. Because of this, the aircraft is on a lower trajectory than expected, making the landing dangerous.

What is really dangerous?

Icing is when the aircraft is covered in ice on the outside. Occurs when flying in the sky with supercooled water droplets. This is very dangerous, because icing worsens the controllability of the aircraft, making it heavier. The result can be an accident or even a plane crash. Even at the airport, the plane can freeze at sub-zero temperatures. Before the flight, the ship is treated with a special liquid that stops the formation of ice. They pour over every external part of the aircraft: from the wings to the stabilizer. In the atmosphere, icing is unlikely, but possible.

Causes

There are three main causes of air crashes:

1. Staff error.
2. Technical difficulites.
3. Act of terrorism.

Let's consider each of them separately.

Personnel error

It should be understood that personnel error means not only the wrong step of the pilots during the flight, but also the unprofessional work of maintenance and operation specialists, technicians, dispatchers, operators. After all, it is impossible to predict human actions, and flight is a complex sequence of technical processes that requires strict control.

Most air crashes are due to the human factor, this is evidenced by official statistics. However, technology is advancing rapidly. Every year aviation engineers develop new automatic systems, design aircraft of new generations, which reduces the role of a person in flight to a minimum.

Technical difficulites

bad and cheap technology can easily refuse to work at any inconvenient moment, but even high-quality automation fails. Equipment failure is a common cause of air crashes, about a third of crashes happen precisely because of this.

The main causes of malfunctions are malfunctions of the on-board computer and navigation systems. It is very difficult to find out the exact cause of these breakdowns. With this in mind, airlines are purchasing new and safe aircraft, abandoning outdated models.

Act of terrorism

Since the middle of the last century, terrorist attacks have become a big problem affecting flight safety. Most often, terrorists hijack a ship or plant explosives on an aircraft. Such catastrophes, unfortunately, take many lives.

Is it dangerous to fly on airplanes? As you can see, the statistics of falls are low, and their causes are rare situations, from which no one on earth is immune.