Why so many plane crashes?!

[ata.online]

I always tend to feel nervous while travelling via plane.

Just this month, a plane crash in Libya left hundreds dead and now another one in India.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2...r-indias-woes/


When people say it is still the safest form of travelling, i just find it hard to believe.
Maybe statistically, yes. But the thought of being burnt to death, is quite frightening.
Obviously, more planes in the air means more crashes.

[callumacrae]

There are about 95 000 flights a day. I would say there is a major crash every couple months. = 1 flight per 2 850 000 flights crash. A LOT more cars than that crash, but unfortunately it is very easy to die in a plane crash.

More planes in the air does NOT mean more crashes. How many stories have you heard in the news about planes crashing into each other?

~Callum

[carl6969]

When a plane crashes hundreds of people are injured or killed in a single incident which is extremely tragic and the event immediately gets international media attention. However, the number of people injured or killed in plane crashes every year is actually very small when compared to people injured or killed in other means of transportation.

The number of people killed in automobile accidents every year is MUCH greater than the number of people killed in plane crashes. Statically speaking driving or riding in an automobile is is the most dangerous thing most people will ever do in their life. It is even more dangerous than combat. Most of us don't realize that or think about it. And, since automobile fatalities usually involve only a few people, they seldom get any press attention unless a celebrity of some kind is involved.

[ata.online]

There are about 95 000 flights a day. I would say there is a major crash every couple months. = 1 flight per 2 850 000 flights crash. A LOT more cars than that crash, but unfortunately it is very easy to die in a plane crash.

More planes in the air does NOT mean more crashes. How many stories have you heard in the news about planes crashing into each other?

~Callum

I have to disagree with you there. If you define a major crash as 50 plus fatalities then it is more than just one every couple of month. More like over 10 major crashes since Jan 2010.
http://www.planecrashinfo.com

"How many stories have you heard in the news about planes crashing into each other?"

More planes in the air does mean more crashes. It doesn't need to be involved with another plane. It could be a technical failure or pilot incompetence. Having said that, there have been a few head on collisions back in the 80's and 90's.

[ata.online]

When a plane crashes hundreds of people are injured or killed in a single incident which is extremely tragic and the event immediately gets international media attention. However, the number of people injured or killed in plane crashes every year is actually very small when compared to people injured or killed in other means of transportation.

The number of people killed in automobile accidents every year is MUCH greater than the number of people killed in plane crashes. Statically speaking driving or riding in an automobile is is the most dangerous thing most people will ever do in their life. It is even more dangerous than combat. Most of us don't realize that or think about it. And, since automobile fatalities usually involve only a few people, they seldom get any press attention unless a celebrity of some kind is involved.

Although according to the stats that may be true, i tend to feel safer on earth. One reason some people hate flying is the lack of control they have.

[carl6969]

Although according to the stats that may be true, i tend to feel safer on earth. One reason some people hate flying is the lack of control they have.

I agree with you on this point. I do not fear flying in any way. To the contrary, I actually enjoy flying and flew on commercial airlines frequently before 911. I have been avoiding air travel post 911, not because I have any fear for my safety, but simply because I really don't want to deal with the new (and necessary) security requirements. I do not feel any safer on the ground, but I do feel a higher degree of comfort when I am in control of my own vehicle.

[asiapress]

i plan to build a site about plane crashes

[carl6969]

i plan to build a site about plane crashes

That sounds interesting. I would probably visit such a site every now and then. There are one or two television shows I watch which attempt to analyze what went wrong during disasters such as plane crashes. I find them interesting.

[priyaa161]

When a plane crashes hundreds of people are injured or killed in a single incident which is extremely tragic and the event immediately gets international media attention. However, the number of people injured or killed in plane crashes every year is actually very small when compared to people injured or killed in other means of transportation.

The number of people killed in automobile accidents every year is MUCH greater than the number of people killed in plane crashes. Statically speaking driving or riding in an automobile is is the most dangerous thing most people will ever do in their life. It is even more dangerous than combat. Most of us don't realize that or think about it. And, since automobile fatalities usually involve only a few people, they seldom get any press attention unless a celebrity of some kind is involved.

So now you are calculating probability. Being a science student, I must tell you that probability is not calculated in that way and so you can't say that flight is much more safe than traveling with your automobile.
If you really wanna calculate, then travel as frequently with plane as you travel with your car. (not possible in daily life) and then compare how many times you come near to death in both the cases.

I want to say that we don't know when our misfortune will lead us a accident but if we are with our car then at least we can hope for a less injury than on a plane.

[carl6969]

So now you are calculating probability. Being a science student, I must tell you that probability is not calculated in that way and so you can't say that flight is much more safe than traveling with your automobile.

I was not attempting scientifically calculate probability. I am certainly not qualified to do that. My point simply was, (and is), that the number of people killed or injured in automobile accidents each year is far greater than the number of people killed or injured in plane accidents / crashes each year.

I want to say that we don't know when our misfortune will lead us a accident but if we are with our car then at least we can hope for a less injury than on a plane.

Good point. One is less likely to be injured or killed in an automobile accident than an airplane accident / crash. But there are far more automobile accidents each year than there are airplane accidents, so would it not be logical to conclude that automobile travel is far more dangerous than airplane travel?


If you really wanna calculate, then travel as frequently with flight as you travel with your car. (not possible in daily life) and then compare how many times you come near to death in both the cases.

I want to say that we don't know when our misfortune will lead us a accident but if we are with our car then at least we can hope for a less injury than on a plane.[/QUOTE]