Flying has long become a habit. Many people perceive it as an opportunity to sleep or watch a movie without thinking about the fact that there are thousands of meters of emptiness under their feet. However, having learned about the situations that can periodically arise on board an airplane, even the most resistant to aerophobia will fall into panic. It is for this reason that the plane personnel do not tell us anything until the last minute.
1. The pilot lost consciousness
This situation is quite rare, but anything can happen. One pilot with ten years of experience once admitted that when flying through Atlantic Ocean they found themselves in a zone of strong turbulence. By an unfortunate coincidence, at the moment when his partner was trying to sit down in his seat, the plane shook violently, and he hit him with his elbow. The pilot lost consciousness for some time, but due to the fact that there were two people in the cockpit, the plane calmly continued its flight. Naturally, only the liner’s service personnel knew about what had happened at that moment, and the passengers were blissfully unaware.
2. Danger of collision with another airliner
We, as passengers on an airplane, are firmly convinced that aircraft collisions in the air are impossible, thanks to the flight control center. But in fact, this danger occurs much more often than we think. One of the pilots, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that many times in his practice the planes came very close to each other. And twice he had to make a dangerous sharp maneuver to avoid a collision. At this time, passengers thought they were in a zone of severe turbulence. However, according to the pilot, there are always several people in the cabin who suspect something is wrong and begin to ask the flight attendants what is happening.
3. Cabin in smoke
At this terrible moment, airplane pilots wear special oxygen masks so as not to lose consciousness from poisoning and almost always require permission for an emergency landing. Meanwhile, in the cabin of the plane, no one has any idea about the dangerous situation on board. One of the pilots of one British airline said that during this incident they also began to run out of fuel, and the instrument panel was not visible due to the smoke. Fortunately, everything worked out, but along the route they asked for information, just in case. emergency landing, which was not needed.
4. Breakdowns
An airplane is a huge, complex mechanism. And it’s completely normal when something breaks in the mechanism. It is clear that breakdowns come in different forms. But in any case, passengers are not informed about this in order to avoid panic on board. One of the anonymous pilots said that once during a flight just before landing, part of the aileron on the wing came off. It was an absolutely harmless breakdown, but the passengers were alarmed. After all, out of ignorance, you can think anything, and a dangling piece of iron on the wing can be very scary.
5. Lightning
Everyone knows that modern aircraft are resistant to lightning strikes, and therefore there is no need to be afraid. In addition, it seems that the likelihood of lightning striking an airplane is extremely low, but this is not the case. Every aircraft encounters this situation at least once a year. Despite the safety during the flight, passengers are often very scared, and the plane is left with visible marks from a lightning strike. In addition, there are often situations when, flying through a cloud, the plane itself provokes the appearance of lightning, although without it it would not have been possible. What is much more dangerous is not the lightning itself, but the bright flash from it, which can blind pilots for a long time, which turns into a serious obstacle to safe flight. After all, pilots who have temporarily lost their vision may not be able to replace the vortex or vertical air flow, which poses a real danger.
6. Side wind during landing
Strong crosswinds can become a real obstacle when landing a plane. And, although pilots are trained to land a plane under such conditions, this does not guarantee a good outcome. At this moment, it’s scary not only for passengers who feel all the rocking and turning of the plane during resistance, but also for pilots, for whom it is important to keep the plane stable. Pilots say that if the danger is too great, they will not land the plane in such conditions.
7. Birds
The photo looks very beautiful when the plane is shrouded in a flock of birds. But in reality this situation is extremely dangerous. The plane flies at such enormous speed that even a small pebble will smash the windshield and half the skull of the pilot, not to mention a bird. Most often, there is a risk of collision when an aircraft lands and takes off at an altitude of up to 100 meters, especially if during this period the birds migrate and move in large flocks. However, accidents involving birds that threaten the lives of passengers are very rare.
The chief physician of Sheremetyevo Airport, Artur Bunin, says that heart attacks occurring in flight passengers during the flight are not at all uncommon. In 2012, there were 283 such cases, in 2013 – 395. Moreover, in 2012, the airport provided medical assistance to passengers in 533 cases, and in 2013 – 621 times. You will be very lucky if there is a doctor on board by chance, because flight attendants, although they undergo medical training, encounter such situations extremely rarely. A flight attendant will be able to provide first aid, but serious cases will still require a professional. Medical training for flight attendants different airlines is slightly different, but on average the entire training process lasts three days, during which flight attendants are taught only the basics. On about a third of all flights, a doctor in one specialty or another accidentally turns up, but this is not a guarantee of safety: for example, a veterinarian will not be able to help cope with a panic attack. Here's how things are likely to unfold if you get sick at 11,000 meters.
How should the crew act?
As soon as an emergency occurs, the aircraft immediately transmits information about the incident to dispatchers at the nearest airport, who notify the flight director, who then contacts the responsible airport services. As the plane makes an emergency landing at a nearby airport, medical assistance is being prepared. Unfortunately, the airport medical service is only qualified for emergency care, so again, in an emergency, you may be sent from the airport to the hospital.
Don't panic
According to statistics, most of passengers' health problems are not serious. You may get motion sickness or vomit, you may feel dizzy or even faint, but life and death are rarely discussed. You may feel a little dizzy because the air entering the plane at an altitude of 11,000 meters is thin and contains slightly less oxygen than the air on the ground. In addition, you may feel a lack of water in your body due to the dry air in the aircraft cabin.
How to protect yourself
To ensure that the plane crew is ready to help you, keep everyone informed about your illnesses. For example, if you have hypertension, you can ask if the flight attendant has pills that lower your blood pressure. If you inform the flight attendants that you are afraid of flying, they will help you cope with your anxiety and avoid possible health problems.
The captain answers questions aircraft Tom Bunn, who has been effectively helping people get rid of aerophobia for 30 years.
1. Will my plane crash?
No. Because a disaster is always an exceptional event. And most emergency situations that may arise do not pose a mortal danger, because everything that is most important on the plane has a reserve, and more than one. For example, the main hydraulic system is duplicated by a spare one, and the spare one is duplicated by another spare one. It’s the same with the navigation system: if the main one breaks down, the spare one will work, the spare one breaks down, and a replacement will be found. And for everything to fail at once is something out of science fiction.
2. What if a bullet goes through the fuselage?
Firstly, what definitely will NOT happen is the plane breaking up. The area of bullet damage does not threaten the integrity of the fuselage. The danger will arise if the bullet damages the hydraulics or electrical system. But even in these cases, everything should be fine with the plane, because all instruments and equipment are replaceable (see point 1).
3. What if the chassis breaks?
Again, there are several ways to release a jammed landing gear. When everything is normal, the pilots receive confirmation on the display that the landing gear is extended and locked in this position. If this does not happen, they open the locks that keep it in the stowed position during flight. After this, the landing gear is released under the influence of gravity. If this does not help, the landing gear can be released manually using a lever.
4. What if something extra/strange appears on the wing?
All my experience tells me that this is only possible in movies, like “ Twilight Zone" (where a plane passenger sees a gremlin trying to break the wing). Although people see different things and many think that only they see it. For example, under certain conditions, “perspiration” appears along the wing, similar to fog: it appears and disappears. But there is nothing dangerous about it.
5. Can a plane crash due to turbulence?
I'll say no, although at the very beginning of an era jet engines There was an isolated disaster due to turbulence. The British Airlines plane was making an excursion flight over Mount Fuji when, due to a powerful jet stream that hit the mountain, it encountered such turbulence that it broke up. But it was a unique situation: a special shape of the mountain, a certain distance, little experience in flying with such an engine... In general, there were no more similar disasters.
6. What if the porthole breaks?
The windows in the cabin are made of organic glass, and it will not break. In the cockpit there is real glass, but very, very durable. It's heated. If the heating system fails, the cabin window may crack. But, again, this happens very rarely.
7. Is it true that it is safe to fly in a thunderstorm?
Yes and no. It is dangerous to land during a thunderstorm due to such a phenomenon as a “micro-squall” or “micro-burst”, when a strong short-term downward movement of air occurs. It's not scary when you're at 5,000 feet, but when you're just meters off the ground, it's dangerous. Therefore, planes do not land on the runway over which a thunderstorm is raging.
8. What happens if a plane is struck by lightning?
Nothing special. Here's an interesting statistic for you. The average plane is struck by lightning twice a year. At this moment, the sound of an impact is heard in the cockpit and a flash is visible. But it is possible to determine for sure whether it was lightning or a static discharge (an airplane collects static electricity while flying through clouds) only after landing. If marks similar to the mark of a put out cigarette are found on the wing or nose, then it was lightning.
9. What areas should you not fly over?
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is the east of Ukraine, where it was shot down passenger airliner. The airline was guilty of sending the plane there, despite the fact that fighters in the area had used anti-aircraft missiles in previous days. These can shoot down targets at high altitudes.
10. What happens if you don’t turn off your phone during takeoff?
Nothing. Your phones do not affect anything and never have. This is a “just in case” measure, invented by aviation authorities who don’t really want to check every electronic device to see if it could cause a problem? In general, telephones have never been a threat; they do not operate on the frequencies used in aviation.
11. Is it dangerous to fly over the Bermuda Triangle?
I myself have flown there more than once. This place is no stranger or more dangerous than any other place on the planet. Of course, some people want thrills, so they imagine stories in the spirit of Stephen King. Planes disappeared here and there. And the Bermuda Triangle is not special in this sense.
12. What are the pilots themselves afraid of?
I don’t know... they’re not particularly afraid. One thing can be said with certainty about flying: airplanes have become so reliable that there is absolutely nothing to worry about. So it's not a matter of technique. Probably just the feeling of responsibility for the lives of hundreds of people excites me.
13. What if one of the engines fails?
The plane can fly on one engine. But still, in this case, you need to land, because there is no more reserve left (again, see point 1). As a rule, a plane with one engine failure lands at the nearest airport.
14. What if both engines fail?
Then the plane will glide. This only happened twice. Many years ago in Canada, the engines of a Boeing 767 stopped working during a flight, and for a ridiculous reason: the flight was calculated in the metric system, and refueling was carried out in the English system of measures. And then in the middle of the clouds it suddenly became very quiet: the engines stopped. The pilots found the nearest airport, however, it turned out that it had not been operational for a long time, and the runway was used by racing drivers. But they quickly realized that something was wrong with the plane, and immediately got out of the runway.
15. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you on a flight?
Not a single one on civilian airlines and a lot when I was an Air Force pilot. In truth, flying civilian flights is boring, and the main task of pilots is to keep things that way.
When is it safer to fly - during the day or at night? Is it possible to independently determine the degree of wear of an aircraft? Is it possible to understand that it is falling during the flight? Should a pilot warn passengers about emergency situations? A navigator with 25 years of experience, Igor Obodkov, told us what you should pay attention to before boarding a plane and during the flight.
- Where can I find out what fleet of aircraft an airline has?
The website of the Federal Air Transport Agency should contain data on the airline fleet. Some companies, for example Aeroflot, publish on their website information about what types of aircraft they have. There is also the average age of the fleet. Aeroflot has it for no more than five years. But the age of the ships is not the most important thing to pay attention to. First of all, you need to ensure that flights operate regularly. You need to look at the history of the company, how many years it has existed.
When pilots board an old plane, they probably realize it's a wreck. Does it happen that the crew refuses to fly for this reason?
Such cases do happen. There are pilots who are principled, but there are also those who think that if everything went well on the last flight, then the next time it will be fine. There is a list of malfunctions with which you can and cannot fly, but still a lot depends on the pilot. Someone may refuse to fly because of a crack of one or two millimeters.
We are trying to ensure that pilots have guaranteed pay, because now everything depends on the number of hours spent at the controls. It is clear that piecework often forces pilots to neglect both malfunctions and fatigue. For the sake of money, many fly to the limit, especially when it comes to short flights - to Kazan or St. Petersburg.
In their conclusion about the Tyumen disaster, experts noted that the crew had over a hundred days of vacation arrears. International associations have long introduced a system for monitoring pilot fatigue. In Russia, no one is in a hurry to implement it, although fatigue is the very notorious human factor that is most often cited as the cause of accidents.
- Should someone warn passengers that the plane is going around?
Nobody warns about this, since the situation is normal and the pilots practice go-arounds in simulators. The reasons are different: they might have lost speed due to strong winds, maybe the flaps weren’t extended, maybe the pilot realized that he didn’t fit into the landing zone. The pilot usually makes the decision to go around at an altitude of 30–60 m.
Judging by CCTV footage, the Boeing in Kazan fell into a tailspin during landing. Why might this happen?
For each wing position there is a minimum speed. As a rule, the plane goes into a tailspin when it reaches critically low speeds. Most often this happens if the pilot selects the wrong position of the aircraft. But a stall can also occur at high speed if, for example, the pilot suddenly pulls the steering wheel towards himself. Then the speed can reach a critical value.
It is almost impossible to realize that you are falling. When a person flies on an airplane, he gets lost in space
- How to an ordinary person when flying on a plane, realize that something went wrong?
It is almost impossible to realize that you are falling. When a person flies on an airplane, he gets lost in space. Even a pilot will not be able to clearly determine the position of the aircraft in the air if the horizon is not visible. But, for example, shaking is not an indicator, since it could be an ordinary bump. It’s also a bad sign if there’s a burnt smell on board. This is already more realistic, you need to immediately call the conductors and find out what happened. Maybe something burned in the kitchen, or maybe the wiring is smoking.
- Should a pilot warn passengers about emergency situations?
My opinion is that it is better for the pilot not to tell passengers that something is going wrong, it is better for them not to know, because panic may begin, which will only complicate everything.
- What is the level of training of graduates of our flight schools?
They, as a rule, are trained on one type, and have to work on another. All graduates complete their studies within a year and a half to master the type that is available in the airline. Often graduates of Russian flight schools complete their studies abroad. Knowledge of English is required even on domestic flights. In the conclusion of the IAC on the plane crash in Tyumen, by the way, poor knowledge was noted in English- they simply could not understand some part of the documentation on the aircraft, it is all in English.
- Do you need to look at the weather forecast when choosing a flight?
There is no point in paying attention to the weather before departure. The crew themselves sometimes report, for example, that the weather is sunny, but in the end almost nothing depends on this. Flight safety mainly depends on the level of training of the crew.
To determine whether weather conditions will affect the flight, you need to know the minimum of the aircraft, the airfield and the crew - the minimum visibility range on the runway. The lower the visibility at which the plane can land, the better. The aircraft minimum depends on the level of its automation, the airfield minimum on technical equipment, and the crew on experience, number of hours and landings, all simulators must be completed. Of course, no one will tell you these indicators before the flight.
- Do day and night flights differ in terms of safety?
Day or night - it doesn't matter at all. Although at night, high-intensity lights are sometimes better visible, by which the pilot navigates when approaching. During the day, especially in foggy weather, they are more difficult to see. True, you need to take into account that pilots are also living people and they may want to sleep.
- Can a passenger determine a malfunction of the aircraft or problems with the crew based on external signs?
Only if you approach the plane and fuel is leaking from it. Or if you see a noticeable crack on the plane. It happens that passengers begin to suspect that one of the crew members is drunk. I've never encountered any of the above, but it's theoretically possible. Airlines strictly ensure that pilots take the controls sober, but pilots can drink even during the flight. In America, for example, pilots now undergo random control after landing. At Aeroflot, the administration also has this right.
Abroad there is a voluntary reporting system so that pilots can tell dispatchers about a malfunction, but in many Russian companies such a message will result in sanctions against the confessing pilot
This is not entirely true. It’s one thing if we are talking about an already tested and approved model. But the failure rate on older aircraft is indeed higher. Old technology also requires high costs. Their leasing payments are lower, but maintenance is much more expensive, and parts often need to be replaced. It happens that airlines, saving on leasing, simply do not change parts in time.
How should controllers behave in a situation where pilots report a malfunction? Is there a general pattern that they do not deviate from, or do they decide on their own?
Pilots make the decision themselves, and controllers can only clear the area if an urgent landing is required, or give route instructions if visibility is poor.
Is the fact that something happened to the plane somehow reflected on the scoreboard? Will it just say “delayed” or is there some other wording for such cases?
Usually they write one of two options - for technical reasons or due to weather conditions. But I would not panic because of the wording “for technical reasons”, because this does not mean that some kind of malfunction was discovered - maybe there is simply no reserve aircraft or there is no fuel.
- Russia has frightening statistics of air accidents. How much can you trust her?
The statistics are really bad. And then, not all incidents are included in the statistics. There are malfunctions that dispatchers did not have time to record. Let’s say a tire went flat on landing, the safe altitude was reduced, or the landing gear couldn’t be lowered the first time. Such incidents also affect airline ratings. Abroad, there is a voluntary reporting system so that pilots can tell dispatchers about a malfunction, but in many Russian companies, such a message will result in sanctions against the confessing pilot.
