Federal Aviation Advancements
By Aidan Reidy '23
Since its inception, general aviation has served millions of people and their travels. Now in 2022, researchers are finding new ways to make flying safer by the day. Despite the fact that aircraft catastrophes continue to terrify people, safety has been the aviation industry's top focus for the past 100 years. Technology, training, and risk management have all combined to produce commendable results.
Despite recent catastrophic losses, flying is frequently touted as the safest mode of transportation, which is true at least in terms of fatalities per mile traveled. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, planes have a death rate of 0.003 per billion kilometers traveled, compared to 0.27 for rail and 2.57 for cars. Statistically, a person has a greater chance of dying when riding a bicycle or being struck by lightning. In the US or Europe, the odds of dying in an airplane disaster are believed to be 29 million to one.
Although the advent of the jet engine in the 1950s stands out as a key development, various factors have contributed to the improvement in airline safety. Jet engines offer a level of safety and dependability that is unsurpassed by piston engines. Engine manufacturers claim to have practically eradicated the possibility of engine failure today.
Improved safety is partly a result of the aviation industry's first-rate risk management and growing ability to spot issues before they become major problems. Air accident investigations and aircraft safety inspections are now more effective, and advances in manufacturing technology and quality control are making planes safer.
However, aircraft design may need to alter drastically in the future, especially if flying is to remain inexpensive as fuel costs rise. This could lead to novel propulsion systems, such as electric, hybrid, or solar-powered planes, as well as radical new airframe designs and tactics, such as assisted take-offs and unpowered landings.