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How Safe is it to Fly?

With all the recent aviation inspections and the FAA cracking down on American Airlines, it makes me wonder how safe it is these days to fly. I guess it is still safe. It does cause me to want to understand more about why these things happen. I mean, to me, the people who stand to lose the most are the Airlines, if an accident does happen. Especially, if it was from negligence on their part. I sort of expect this one thing to encourage them to be safe. The more I read about the American Airlines “wire bundles” the more I believe it was more a bureaucratic FAA official following some arcane set of rules than it was a real threat to aircraft safety. Apparently , American and everyone else was made aware of the rules for the wire bundles about 4 years ago, and the directive as to how to fix it was sent out in 2006 by the FAA. It seems the FAA didn’t like the way American interpreted the required fix. You can read more about this angle here at the Salt Lake Tribune.

I think that we really don’t know all the details so it is hard to judge, but I believe we are still safe flying in the US. I am not as thrilled about other countries and their safety or lack of safety. Every time I have to fly to Europe, I feel a little less safe. Maybe it’s just me.

What do you think? Are we safe as ever flying the friendly skies?

Leave me a comment and tell us what you think.

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(SB-08-15) NTSB Announces Agenda for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Safety Forum

The National Transportation Safety Board has published the preliminary agenda for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Safety Forum, which will take place on April 29-30 2008, in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center (429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20594). The forum is open to all and free to attend (there is no registration). Seating is limited to 350. The event will also be webcast live on www.ntsb.gov.

NTSB Issues Update On Investigation Of 757 In-Flight Wing Panel Separation

In its continuing investigation of US Airways flight 1250 on March 22, 2008, in which a wing panel, measuring about 4 feet by 5 feet, separated from the B-757, the National Transportation Safety Board has developed the following factual information:

(SB-08-14) NTSB Releases 2007 Aviation Accident Statistics

Washington, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board today released preliminary aviation accident statistics for 2007. "The U.S. aviation industry has produced an admirable safety record in recent years," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "However, we must not become complacent. We must continue to take the lessons learned from our investigations and use them to create even safer skies for all aircraft operators and their passengers." The Safety Board's aviation accident statistics show that in 2007, there were 24 nonfatal accidents involving Part 121 airlines (aircraft with 10 or more seats). One fatality occurred involving a nonscheduled Part 121 aircraft when a mechanic was fatally injured while working on a Boeing 737 in Tunica, Mississippi.

(SB-08-13) Failure To Execute A Missed Approach Caused Shuttle America’s Runway Overrun

Washington, D. C. - The National Transportation Safety Board today determined that the probable cause of an Embraer ERJ- 170, operated by Shuttle America, Inc., was the failure of the flight crew to execute a missed approach when visual cues for the runway were not distinct and identifiable.