It is often said that air travel is the safest form of travel with less than 1.7 fatalities across hundred million miles annually. Initially, this was not the case for airplanes to be prone to highly fatal accidents. However, safety is a prime consideration across all aviation organizations. This is due to the fact each and every time as a plane takes off, new risks arise. The development of Federal Aviation Agency, in America, an organ which monitors and controls the aviation industry showcases the seriousness of the matter. Safety is not only an obligation by those responsible but a law which is mandatory. This paper aims to evaluate the major challenges facing aviation safety and how they can be countered effectively.
Hazards Faced in Air Travel
Pilot Shortcomings
Pilots are supposedly well-trained individuals who have the skill and capability to operate and fly aircraft. Even though pilots receive little or no recognition each time they arrive at a destination safely, they often take the blame whenever things go wrong. Some and not all pilots have been documented to have made errors which have cost not only their lives but the lives of others (Boyd and Stolzer, 2016). Although many at times, pilots deal with situations that they have not undergone any training. The primary reasons for pilot shortcomings are discussed below:
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Pilot fatigue
Based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (n.d.), fatigue refers to as “a physiological condition arising from reduced physical or mental performance’s ability due to workload or circadian phase, and lack of sleep or prolonged wakefulness." Pilots and crew members are often subjected to exhausting procedures especially when it comes to long haul flights that may last over 12 hours. As such they may be sleep deprived, experience circadian rhythm effects or a combination of both. These effects lead to fatigue a condition in which mental awareness and physical performance are greatly reduced. Fatigue subsequently increases the risk of pilot error.
Piloting while intoxicated
On any given single day there are around 90 000 flights taking place in the world. An exceeding number of pilots manning these planes are sober. But once or twice a year a flying under influence (FWI) case will be reported. Considering that a plane may carry over 200 passengers a drunken pilot risks ending the lives of such a huge number of people. Hence flying while under influence is a huge offense that results in large penalties such as revoking of licenses and even imprisonment. Even with such consequences, FWI occurrences have existed. The most recent being the case of United Airlines, where two pilots, Braddy Grebenc and Carlos Licona were found intoxicated just as they were leaving Scotland in a passenger plane (Boyd and Stolzer, 2016).
Aero Flight 311(AY311) was programmed as domestic passenger flight operating between Kronoby and Vaasa. The plane crashed on January 3, 1961, killing everyone (25) on board becoming Finland’s most fatal plane crash (Soucie and Cheek, 2011). After the investigation, it was determined that the two pilots were heavily intoxicated and should not have been flying the plane. This led the pilot to make an acute left turn as the plane was landing which made the aircraft spin out of control. Had the pilots been sober then such an error would never have been made and perhaps 25 people would have walked out alive.
Improper Communication
In aviation, communication is both a fundamental tool and safety measure. Effective communication facilitates a safe takeoff and landing and may even prevent an accident. Nonetheless, improper communication too has its consequences. Misleading information which may come in the form of inaccurate maps or from flight or ground support may result in loss of spatial orientation which may lead to carnage (Wood, 2003). It should be noted that the second deadliest aircraft accident in history, Tenerife airport disaster, was as a result of a plane taking off without clearance from Air Traffic Control.
Mechanical Problems
Mechanical problems account for about 22% of all airplane related crashes. Although a lot of effort, time and resources are put into creating, testing and installing aircraft parts there is no sure way to avoid mechanical failures. Additionally, mechanical failures may be prevented through strenuous scrutiny before each takeoff. According to Soucie and Cheek in a case where problems arise during flight very little can be done to control or curtail the situation which often results in calamity (2011). This is the reason why FAA recommends that mechanical issues are treated with utmost importance and in the case where the issue cannot be resolved then the airplane is not legally allowed to leave.
There have been numerous cases of plane crashes as a result of mechanical problems. Perhaps one of the more notable ones is the Japan Air Lines 747SR, that led to the death of 520 people; 15 crew members and 505 of the 509 passengers on board. The accident was as a result of a sudden explosive decompression that damaged the vertical fin and hydraulics system. On further investigation, it was found out that the decompression was as a result of a faulty repair that had occurred 7 years earlier. The airplane had been in flight during those 7 years and had not expressed serious mechanical issues up to that date. Hence it would have been difficult almost impossible for anyone regardless of their expertise to has anticipated the catastrophe.
Terrorism
Terrorism is defined as the use of violent means to achieve political gains. Airplane travel and terrorism have colluded on numerous occasions. In the early stages of air travel bombings were as a result of schemes for insurance money, however, the latter stages of the 20th century saw religious and political terrorism as the predominant cause of obliterating aircraft in mid-air. Terrorism also indirectly leads to losses due to the fear present in the public. It has been shown that whenever a terrorist attack occurs especially within either European or American airlines the prices of airlines stock fall drastically resulting in huge losses for airline companies that were not hit directly (Boyd and Stolzer, 2016).
The popularly known as 9/11 the September 11 attacks, which occurred in 2001, were a series of four attacks coordinated by Al Qaeda. The terrorist group hijacked and crashed four planes into strategic buildings killing 2 996 people making it the most lethal terrorist attack and air travel incident in history. Direct damage to property was around $ 10 billion while $ 3 trillion was lost in the long run (Soucie and Cheek, 2011). Also, the September 11 attacks helped create and improve many of the aviation safety measures that are in existence when it comes to terrorism. Other incidents have also been linked with high death tolls that have necessitated governments and airline agencies to ensure security is a top priority when it comes to air travel.
Solutions
For every problem, there is an effective solution if one looks hard enough. This is no different for the challenges mentioned above. To begin with, pilots are required under FAA to stay for 8 hours after having a drink so as to be able to fly. This duration is to allow the pilot to regain soberness and mental awareness. Moreover, to serve as a deterrent there are heavy charges that are set to punish those who are found to be guilty of the crime. Punishment may go as far as lengthy jail time and heavy fines. Boyd and Stolzer suggest that when it comes to fatigue pilots are required to have short rests and shifts in between flights and adequate relaxation after the flight (2016).
Mechanical problems pose a serious challenge in finding solutions to quell them. This is because they happen when they are least expected. Nonetheless, a few measures can be implemented. They include routine comprehensive checks before a plane leaves and after it arrives. Another measure would be to integrate newer technology and equipment into aircraft; such as increasing automation thereby reducing the possibility of human error.
Lastly, terrorism uses airplane bombings as a means to convey messages. Thereby, airlines cannot prevent themselves from being targets. However, together with airport authorities and law enforcement agencies, tighter security measures can be put in place to hinder those with malicious intentions from having access to airplanes. Nonetheless, most of these measures are already in place such as thorough scrutiny of all who enter the airport. Furthermore, passengers should be encouraged to be vigilant of persons who portray suspicious qualities and report them as soon as possible to relevant authorities.
Conclusion
Air travel is without a doubt the fastest commercial form of transport. Statistically, it is also the safest nonetheless it faces a lot of challenges when it comes to safety. From terrorism to weather conditions an exquisite flight may turn into a tragic one real quick. Hence it is an imperative duty for all persons in the aviation field to ensure that every plane that takes off, lands back safely.
References
Wood, R. H. (2003). Aviation safety programs: A management handbook . Englewood, CO: Jeppesen Sanderson.
Soucie, D., & Cheek, O. (2011). Why planes crash: An accident investigator's fight for safe skies . New York: Skyhorse Pub.
Boyd, D. D., & Stolzer, A. (2016). Accident-precipitating factors for crashes in turbine-powered general aviation aircraft. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 86 , 209-216. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2015.10.024
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (n.d.). Global Aviation Safety Snapshot . Retrieved from http://www.icao.int/Pages/default.aspx.
