Plane Crashes
Jun 21, 2015 09:37:40 #
Some Thoughts on Plane Crashes
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Ive been watching reports on plane crash investigations on YouTube on my smart tv. Every time a plane crashes, there is an intensive investigation that can last two years or more. There are usually recommendations for changes in the design of the plane or flying procedures, but these recommendations are sometimes ignored. Here are some observations, in no particular order, based on watching several dozen 45-minute reports on air crashes. The word sometimes can be added to many of the statements below.
Rushing to take off is a mistake.
Some airlines try to increase profits by running the planes 24/7 and cutting back on maintenance.
Experienced pilots think its okay to skip items on the checklist because theyre experienced.
Cultural traditions prevent younger pilots from pointing out errors made by experienced, respected, older pilots. This is especially true in eastern cultures.
Russian pilots, instruments, and procedures are different from those in the rest of the world.
Maintenance workers think they are smart enough that they dont have to follow procedures.
Pilots think they are smarter than their instruments.
Lack of communication and misunderstandings between pilot and co-pilot is a problem.
English is the universal language of pilots and air traffic controllers.
Not being proficient in English is an all too common problem for pilots.
Politics and important people can pressure pilots into taking unnecessary risks. Job security is placed before safety.
Military and commercial planes are a bad mix because they have different rules, equipment, and procedures.
Air traffic controllers work with bad equipment and lack of support.
Air traffic controllers and pilots misunderstand what the other means.
Pilots ignore what they think are small problems, assuming they dont matter. A little smoke in the plane is an example.
Defects reported by the flight crew may not be repaired for weeks.
Politics in a foreign country can influence the final report on a crash. No matter what happened, it wasnt their fault.
American and western European pilots have better training than many foreign pilots.
There is no guaranteed safe seat in a plane crash, although up front is usually worse.
One single thing is generally not responsible for a crash. It takes a string of problems and mistakes to bring a plane down.
Small private planes and large commercial airliners are a bad mix.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records for only thirty minutes and then records over itself.
Until recently, the two black boxes (voice and flight data) recorded onto mylar tape.
The black boxes are unbelievably tough, being able to withstand thousands of G forces, thousands of degrees of heat, and tremendous pressure from submersion in the ocean.
When a black box is severely damaged, the NTSB or the boxs manufacturer can often retrieve information from it.
Although most of the world uses the metric system, altitude is reported in feet, and speed in MPH.
When the oxygen masks are deployed because of decompression of the cabin, each mask is powered by a small canister above the passenger. This makes oxygen for about twenty minutes. It can also be a fire hazard because the chemical reactions it produces.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Ive been watching reports on plane crash investigations on YouTube on my smart tv. Every time a plane crashes, there is an intensive investigation that can last two years or more. There are usually recommendations for changes in the design of the plane or flying procedures, but these recommendations are sometimes ignored. Here are some observations, in no particular order, based on watching several dozen 45-minute reports on air crashes. The word sometimes can be added to many of the statements below.
Rushing to take off is a mistake.
Some airlines try to increase profits by running the planes 24/7 and cutting back on maintenance.
Experienced pilots think its okay to skip items on the checklist because theyre experienced.
Cultural traditions prevent younger pilots from pointing out errors made by experienced, respected, older pilots. This is especially true in eastern cultures.
Russian pilots, instruments, and procedures are different from those in the rest of the world.
Maintenance workers think they are smart enough that they dont have to follow procedures.
Pilots think they are smarter than their instruments.
Lack of communication and misunderstandings between pilot and co-pilot is a problem.
English is the universal language of pilots and air traffic controllers.
Not being proficient in English is an all too common problem for pilots.
Politics and important people can pressure pilots into taking unnecessary risks. Job security is placed before safety.
Military and commercial planes are a bad mix because they have different rules, equipment, and procedures.
Air traffic controllers work with bad equipment and lack of support.
Air traffic controllers and pilots misunderstand what the other means.
Pilots ignore what they think are small problems, assuming they dont matter. A little smoke in the plane is an example.
Defects reported by the flight crew may not be repaired for weeks.
Politics in a foreign country can influence the final report on a crash. No matter what happened, it wasnt their fault.
American and western European pilots have better training than many foreign pilots.
There is no guaranteed safe seat in a plane crash, although up front is usually worse.
One single thing is generally not responsible for a crash. It takes a string of problems and mistakes to bring a plane down.
Small private planes and large commercial airliners are a bad mix.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records for only thirty minutes and then records over itself.
Until recently, the two black boxes (voice and flight data) recorded onto mylar tape.
The black boxes are unbelievably tough, being able to withstand thousands of G forces, thousands of degrees of heat, and tremendous pressure from submersion in the ocean.
When a black box is severely damaged, the NTSB or the boxs manufacturer can often retrieve information from it.
Although most of the world uses the metric system, altitude is reported in feet, and speed in MPH.
When the oxygen masks are deployed because of decompression of the cabin, each mask is powered by a small canister above the passenger. This makes oxygen for about twenty minutes. It can also be a fire hazard because the chemical reactions it produces.
Jun 21, 2015 09:49:08 #
Jerry, I'm curious, have you been watching, "Air Disasters"? Every one of these has been on the Smithsonian Channel.
Jun 21, 2015 09:53:04 #
And I thought I had enough reasons never to get on an airplane again then you come up with all these.
I wish you had told me all this before I went up in that 80+ year old airplane a week ago.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-316697-1.html
I wish you had told me all this before I went up in that 80+ year old airplane a week ago.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-316697-1.html
Jun 21, 2015 10:40:56 #
could almost scare a person enough not to ever get on a plane.
my hub was on Frontier and they do the 24/7 thing with minimal maintenance
ended up in an emergency landing at the PHiladelphia airport about an hour from home verses the much smaller county airport only 10 minutes from home. pilot had to fly past a tower to be sure landing gear was down as the dash indicator said it wasn't...luckily it was.
my hub was on Frontier and they do the 24/7 thing with minimal maintenance
ended up in an emergency landing at the PHiladelphia airport about an hour from home verses the much smaller county airport only 10 minutes from home. pilot had to fly past a tower to be sure landing gear was down as the dash indicator said it wasn't...luckily it was.
jerryc41 wrote:
Some Thoughts on Plane Crashes br br I mentioned ... (show quote)
Jun 21, 2015 12:05:35 #
bparr1 wrote:
Jerry, I'm curious, have you been watching, "Air Disasters"? Every one of these has been on the Smithsonian Channel.
Yes, whatever I could find on YouTube. Air Disasters was one - also Mayday, and a bunch from Nat Geo. There was an interesting show on Nova about the disappearance of Malaysia 370 - very strange.
Jun 21, 2015 12:11:01 #
EdJ0307 wrote:
And I thought I had enough reasons never to get on an airplane again then you come up with all these.
I wish you had told me all this before I went up in that 80+ year old airplane a week ago.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-316697-1.html
I wish you had told me all this before I went up in that 80+ year old airplane a week ago.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-316697-1.html
Actually, as I said, it takes an awful lot for a plane to crash - a series of avoidable mistakes. At any one time, there are about two million people in the air, and virtually all of them land without incident. Many damaged planes land successfully, even with major problems. Lots of people survive crashes.
Jun 21, 2015 12:19:31 #
Interesting sidelight. Some of you airplane fans might have heard of Wolfgang Langewiesche. Many years ago, probably in high school, I read a short story that he wrote about flying a small plane in the early days of flying. He continued to write about flying.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Langewiesche
http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
In watching this series about plane crashes one episode featured comments by his son, William, who is also a writer and fan of flying.
http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS625US625&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=William+Langewiesche
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Langewiesche
http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
In watching this series about plane crashes one episode featured comments by his son, William, who is also a writer and fan of flying.
http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS625US625&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=William+Langewiesche
Jun 22, 2015 05:48:52 #
Looks like most of the crashes are down to the usual human traits of"It won't happen to me"and"I'll just shortcut that bit"
Jun 22, 2015 06:38:29 #
Jun 22, 2015 06:47:59 #
nimbushopper wrote:
Flying is still the safest mode of transportation.
Definitely.
Jun 22, 2015 07:46:47 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Some Thoughts on Plane Crashes br br I mentioned ... (show quote)
Jerry, did it make a difference that you were watching on a SMART TV?
Jun 22, 2015 07:47:30 #
ole sarg
Loc: south florida
It is not only the safest but the most uncomfortable and demeaning! I do not fly anymore because of airports and airplane seats.
Jun 22, 2015 08:04:33 #
banjonut wrote:
Jerry, did it make a difference that you were watching on a SMART TV?
Well, it made me smarter. :D And it let me tune in YouTube.
Jun 22, 2015 08:41:37 #
ole sarg wrote:
It is not only the safest but the most uncomfortable and demeaning! I do not fly anymore because of airports and airplane seats.
:thumbup: and dont forget the proctological exam tsa gives you before you get to sit in that tight seat!
Jun 22, 2015 08:48:17 #
nimbushopper wrote:
:thumbup: and dont forget the proctological exam tsa gives you before you get to sit in that tight seat!
But that insures us of a perfectly safe flight. :D
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