Aviation Safety Trend .

[Bob_Roller]

I've been an aircraft mechanic since June, 1976, worked in the airline aspect of aviation for 36 years .
I am quite concerned about the direction of safety in the airlines of the world .
I'm trying to find a report that was published around the time of airline deregulation in the US, around 1976, it stated that in the next 40-50 years, with the expected dramatic increase in commercial air travel,   that a major aviation incident with fatalities would occur at the rate of one every 3-4 WEEKS !!!!!!!
Looks like this forward looking report may have some credibility to it after all, unfortunately  !!!!!

[nhmaf]

There are also fewer plane flights now than there were some years ago due to airline cutbacks.  But sadly, each individual plane is generally much more full, passenger-wise, because of the reduced number of flights, so an incident may be more likely to cost a greater number of lives when it does occur.

[Lucky_Lou]

I doubt that things are much worse now than they were overall but 24/7 rolling news likes to put the begeebers up everyone about everything.
I flew a lot in the 70,s to join ships, the biggest worry then was hijacking (some things don't change) however my most memorable flight was from Singapore to one of the Borneo islands where new ships from Japan were stored waiting for us engineers to commission them.
it was a 10 seated island hopper calling in with mail landing on tennis courts....................................
Lou

[montmil]

Aussie aviation authorities just announced their policy/regulations have been changed to require two flight crew members in the cockpit at all times. A number of other nations have yet to adopt this protocol.

[balibeemer]

When you get a cheap ticket from a budget airline, be aware that to keep costs down, they cut them! - and something has to suffer. It looks like safety is the victim.
If something is cheaper than dirt, it normally is dirt!

[Barry]

Safety is not so bad as it seems when you consider how many aircraft are in the sky at any one time.

http://www.flightradar24.com/34.75,-97.17/3

[Burt]

Aircraft maintenance standards have been slowly slipping over the years and the current generation of licenced engineers are more qualified and less experienced than us dinosaurs.  To be fair though, improvements in technology have helped with maintenance.  

Even though out of the industry, I still keep in contact with friends and the f*** ups that I see in safety magazines, etc., are the basic things.  Basic engineering that an apprentice would be taught.  

There are a lot of good people in aviation and unfortunately a few clowns as well, as recent events have shown.  Same everywhere really but in aviation the consequences are usually fatal.  

Even though I am not a gambling man, the risks are relatively low.  There is a reason why certain carriers are not allowed to land in Oz.  

I could bring out the Airbus v Boeing debate but this is a motorcycle forum.  

[Ed Miller]

Aircraft safety seems like a funny topic on a motorcycle forum, since riding a motorcycle is probably one of the most dangerous legal activities.  Certainly if you are talking abou transportation.  

I just don't like flying, don't like the hassles and the crowding.

[Bob_Roller]

I took hang gliding lessons around '76-77, one thing I'll never forget the instructor saying, and I quote ' never fly any higher than you're willing to fall ' !!!!


Burt, you mentioning the experience level, aviation is about to lose a lot of experienced people, pilots and mechanics as well in the next 10 years or  so .

The airline I work for, 60% of the mechanics will be in the mid 60's area in the next 5-6 years .

There's going to be a large void left when these people  retire .