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Following the latest public opinion on aviation safety, it's important to recognize that much of the concern stems from media overreaction. This post aims to explain why air travel remains as safe as ever, or even safer, than it has been in the past.
It’s also worth noting that some parties are taking advantage of the public's heightened fear driven by media coverage, using it to push for economic gains—such as reducing the number of pilots in the flight deck. This move, often framed as a cost-saving measure, may not necessarily align with the highest safety standards, despite the overall safety of air travel continuing to improve.
What are we talking about?
The key difference between an accident and an incident in aviation lies in the severity and impact of the event:
Accident: This is an occurrence linked to the operation of an aircraft in which one of the following occurs: a) A person is fatally or seriously injured, b) The aircraft sustains significant damage or structural failure, c) The aircraft is missing or completely inaccessible.
Incident: This refers to any occurrence, other than an accident, that is associated with the operation of an aircraft, and which affects or has the potential to affect the safety of operation. While incidents may not lead to serious damage or injury, they could still highlight risks that could affect the safety of the flight.
Serious incident:An incident involving circumstances indicating that there was a high probability of an accident. Examples of serious incidents:
• Near collisions requiring an avoidance manoeuvre to avoid a collision or an unsafe
situation or when an avoidance action would have been appropriate.
• Collisions not classified as accidents.
• Controlled flight into terrain only marginally avoided.
• Aborted take-offs on a closed or engaged runway, on a taxiway or unassigned
runway.
• Take-offs from a closed or engaged runway, from a taxiway or unassigned runway.
• Landings or attempted landings on a closed or engaged runway, on a taxiway or
unassigned runway.
These categories help systematically classify aviation occurrences to better understand their causes and improve safety measures.
Here’s a breakdown of Aviation Occurrence Categories:
ADRM (Aerodrome): Occurrences involving issues with the design, service, or functionality of an aerodrome.
AMAN (Abrupt Maneuver): Intentional, abrupt maneuvering of the aircraft by the flight crew.
ARC (Abnormal Runway Contact): Any abnormal runway or landing surface contact during takeoff or landing.
ATM (ATM/CNS): Occurrences related to Air Traffic Management (ATM) or Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance service.
BIRD (Bird): Collisions or near collisions with birds.
CABIN (Cabin Safety Events): Miscellaneous occurrences inside the passenger cabin of transport category aircraft.
CFIT (Controlled Flight into/Towards Terrain): In-flight collision or near collision with terrain, water, or obstacles, without loss of control.
CTOL (Collision with Obstacles During Takeoff and Landing): Collision with obstacles during takeoff or landing while airborne.
EVAC (Evacuation): Events involving injuries during an evacuation, unnecessary evacuations, or evacuation equipment failure.
EXTL (External Load Related Occurrence): Incidents resulting from external load or cargo operations.
FUEL (Fuel Related): Occurrences due to fuel exhaustion, starvation/mismanagement, contamination, or carburetor/induction icing.
F-NI (Fire/Smoke - Non-Impact): Fire or smoke in or on the aircraft, in flight or on the ground, not due to impact.
F-POST (Fire/Smoke - Post-Impact): Fire or smoke resulting from an impact.
GCOL (Ground Collision): Collisions while taxiing to/from an active runway.
GTOW (Glider Towing Related Events): Issues during glider towing, such as premature or inadvertent release, loss of control, or collision.
ICE (Icing): Snow, ice, freezing rain, or frost accumulation that impacts aircraft control or performance.
LALT (Low Altitude Operations): Collision or near-collision with obstacles while intentionally operating near the surface.
LOC-I (Loss of Control In-Flight): Loss of aircraft control while in flight, or deviation from the intended flight path.
LOC-G (Loss of Control on Ground): Loss of control while the aircraft is on the ground.
LOLI (Loss of Lifting Conditions Enroute): Landing due to loss of lifting conditions during flight.
MAC (Airprox/ACAS Alert/Loss of Separation): Air proximity issues, TCAS/ACAS alerts, or near mid-air collisions.
MED (Medical): Occurrences involving illnesses of persons on board the aircraft.
NAV (Navigation Errors): Incorrect navigation of the aircraft either on the ground or in the air.
OTHR (Other): Any occurrence not categorized under the above categories.
RAMP (Ground Handling): Incidents related to ground handling operations.
RE (Runway Excursion): Aircraft veers off or overruns the runway surface.
RI (Runway Incursion): Incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person in the protected runway area.
SEC (Security Related): Criminal or security-related incidents affecting aviation safety.
SCF-NP (System/Component Failure - Non-Powerplant): Failure or malfunction of a system or component not related to the aircraft powerplant.
SCF-PP (System/Component Failure - Powerplant): Failure or malfunction of a system or component related to the powerplant.
TURB (Turbulence Encounter): In-flight encounter with turbulence.
UIMC (Unintended Flight in IMC): Unintended flight in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
UNK (Unknown/Undetermined): Insufficient information to categorize the occurrence.
USOS (Undershoot/Overshoot): Touchdown off the runway or helipad surface.
WILD (Wildlife): Collision or risk of collision with wildlife on the aerodrome or helipad/helideck.
WSTRW (Wind Shear/Thunderstorm): Flight into wind shear or thunderstorm conditions.
The data explained ( ICAO Source year 2023)
If you fly every day for an entire year (365 flights per year), in about 5.5 million years of flying (5.5 million flights), you'd statistically experience 1.87 fatal accidents.
This means that for someone who flies every day, they'd likely have one fatal accident over 5.5 million years of flying.
Imagine 4.2 billion people all flying once a year. This is similar to everyone in the world flying just once annually, which gives a sense of how massive this number is when you think about global air travel.
If we divide 35.25 million by the number of minutes in a year (525,600 minutes), we get about 67 flights per minute.
That means a flight takes off every second, 24/7, year-round.
While it's natural to be concerned about safety in any mode of transport, it's important to recognize that air travel remains one of the safest forms of transportation. With global accident rates continuing to decline, there is no cause for alarm. The aviation industry has built a remarkable track record based on stringent safety standards, ongoing training, and innovation.
To maintain this high level of safety, it’s essential that we continue to uphold established safety protocols, including the presence of two pilots in the flight deck.
These standards, combined with continuous training resources and the expertise of flight crews, ensure that the safety of passengers is always the top priority. Aviation has made tremendous strides over the years, and it will remain a secure and reliable means of travel for years to come. Let’s continue to trust in the safety measures that have made flying so reliable and focus on maintaining the standards that keep us all safe in the skies.
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