Why Air Travel is The Safest Mode of Transportation?
Is flying that safe? Any certified aircraft dispatcher who has been through rigorous aircraft dispatcher training and tests will tell you, yes, it most certainly is. And here’s why.
Flying is the safest way to travel; that’s a platitude that almost everyone is familiar with. In the 1990’s, when air travel was becoming increasingly common, even more so than it had ever been, this idea that air travel is safe spread more and more. It was likely an idea that spread because more first-time fliers found themselves slightly panicking, so they needed a way to ensure that they are safer than in car on the road.
Checks and Balances
There are divisions that make up every successful flight that you have ever taken. Flight crew, air traffic control, and aircraft dispatchers.
Each department relies on and monitors the other. Aircraft dispatchers are often called the 4th flight crew member (after the pilot, first officer, and navigator). Aircraft dispatchers and pilots share an equal amount of responsibility for the safety of every flight.
For example, changing course or altitude must go through all three departments so mistakes are found and adjustments can be made before they happen.
Training and Certifications
Did you have a tough time getting your driver’s license? It was nowhere near as difficult as it is to receive a pilot’s license or go through aircraft dispatcher training.
Aircraft dispatcher training may be short, but it is vigorous, and the tests taken to become a certified aircraft dispatcher are by no means easy.
There’s no short cut for experience. It’s one thing to complete aircraft dispatcher training and become a certified aircraft dispatcher, but it takes years to land a job at a major airline.
Pilots must have 1,500 flying hours before they are eligible to work as a first officer on a commercial airline.
Technology
Aviation technology is advancing to incredible levels. The latest Airbus and Boeing models are built with so many safety features, it would put any Volvo or Toyota to shame.
The technology on your average flight is monitoring everything that’s happening on the plane, everything that’s happening around the plane, and everything that’s happening in all other 50 dimensions in time and space.
Airline Authorities and Regulations
Imagine having a machine monitor and record all your driving, which was then reviewed by a traffic officer once you’ve reached your destination. Be honest, you would probably have at least three or four tickets by the end of the week.
Pilots, air traffic controllers, and aircraft dispatchers are all monitored and reviewed. And believe us, the Federal Aviation Association is no slouch. They will lay down the law for anything not done according to regulations and training.
Certified aircraft dispatchers are also inundated with rules and regulations. It’s what we do, it’s what we love, and it’s what makes the skies a lot safer.
Though flight fear still exists, it is almost completely unfounded. Accidents tend to be highlighted by the media, blowing them out of proportion.
Air travel resulted in 0.07 deaths for every 1 billion miles travelled compared to 212.57 for motorcycles and 7.28 for cars. We will continue to make the skies safer and you continue to fly!
