Air safety and air travel
by Anand Kashyap
Air traveling has remained the most exciting human endeavor right from the beginning. Especially nature made hurdles made it more adventurous. Here, the term ‘nature made hurdles’ refers to stuffs like, lightning, bird strike, volcanic ash, snow and so on. However, human errors are also key concern regarding air safety. Such errors include engine failure, fire, metal fatigue, stalling and so on. In below mentioned points, we can find few noteworthy air safety tips:
- Nowadays, aircrafts like Boeing 787 are made of non conducting composite materials which are able to withstand lightning strikes.
- Modern aircrafts are designed to get rid of ice buildup on wings, engines or tails. Ice buildup is removed by heated air from jet engines. However, airline dispatch offices also regularly keep close watch upon weather condition.
- Engine failure is a very serious problem especially failure of second engines. There are very few countable examples when the aircraft remained safe after both engine failures. Full credit goes to pilot. No one can forget the famous incident in 1983 when pilot glided the plane and saved life of many passengers.
- Metal fatigue stake has almost ended. Now, aircrafts are good enough to combat with such problems. Last time perhaps in 1988, this problem occurred with Aloha Airlines Flight 243.
- Composite materials made of different fibers layers embedded in a resin matrix. Sometime due to cyclic stress, fibers tear off and separate from each other. This process is known as delamitation. Now, this problem has been substantially overcome.
- Stalling refers to the situation when wings fail to provide adequate lift. Nowadays, technologies are available which warn pilot about potential danger.
- Stake regarding fire introduced the concept of emergency exit doors. However, fire bottles/extinguishers are also installed in aircrafts.
- Bird strike is a very common threat for aircrafts. Most of the time, it happens during landing and takeoff time. Hence, mostly airports have active countermeasures. However, passive countermeasures means sensible land use management.
- Volcanic ash in natural form is hard and abrasive. It may prominently damage propellers and turbo compressor blades. Even, it can contaminate fuel and water system in aircraft. So, in 1991; the international aviation industry set up volcanic ash advisory centers (VAACs) one in every nine regions in all over the world.
- Nowadays, terrorism and hijacking have prevailed as the biggest one obstacle in hassle free air traveling. However strong measures have taken like computer assisted passenger prescreening system but, there is need of constant advancement.
Air travel has become an essential integral part of our day to day life. But, every coin has two sides and so we have experienced in this case. But, as a true wise warrior; we have not gave up hope and constantly combating with all adverse circumstances.