Air Travel

Can we build an aircraft that is nearly crash-proof and stall-free?

Air Travel, FAQs / By

Cirrus Airframe Parachute System Image Source: NASA (https://tinyurl.com/3m2asxpp) Can we build an aircraft that is nearly crash-proof and stall-free? Many wonders if it’s possible to develop an aircraft that is entirely crash-proof and stall-free. Just like unsinkable ocean liners or uncrashable cars, the reality is that everything still carries some degree of risk. However, it …

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Xinjiang journey: Battling delays and tight security but leaving with cherished memories

Air Travel / By

A China Southern Boeing 737-800 Xinjiang journey: Battling delays and tight security but leaving with cherished memories While some countries fret about flight delays in minutes, my recent journey to Urumqi tells a tale of hours! This narrative unfolds during my recent 11-day trip to Northern Xinjiang, when aboard a Chinese Airlines Boeing 737-800, the …

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Why are airlines seeing an increase in unruly passenger behavior?

Air Travel, FAQs, Safety / By

An Airbus A330 Image source: 123RF  Why are airlines seeing an increase in unruly passenger behavior? With the ongoing recovery of air travel from the pandemic, the aviation industry has been grappling with bad behaviors by some airline passengers. While these incidents have yet to reach an alarming scale, the social media and instantaneous information …

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Do pilots have to undergo any sort of mental check before flying?

Air Travel, FAQs / By

A Germanwings Airbus A320 Photo Credit: SEBASTIEN MORTIER (https://tinyurl.com/496nyy8r) Do pilots have to undergo any sort of mental check before flying? Yes, long before proceeding to fly any commercial planes, pilots indeed undergo mental health checks. A study of 809 Brazilian pilots generally revealed that between 6.7% and 12% had a common mental disorder. Just …

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What happens to passengers’ belongings when left in an aircraft after an emergency evacuation?

Air Travel, Emergencies / By

A Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300 Photo Credit: Aero Icarus  What happens to passengers’ belongings when left in an aircraft after an emergency evacuation? This is an interesting question, and I hope the following answer will ease the minds of many passengers who are unfortunate enough to be involved in an emergency evacuation. The Federal Aviation …

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Do pilots ever allow friends or family members to sit in the cockpit during take-off or landing?

Air Travel, Flying / By

An Aeroflot Airbus A310 Photo Credit: Yevgeny Pashnin  Do pilots ever allow friends or family members to sit in the cockpit during take-off or landing? This practice was permitted in the past, prior to the tragic events of the September 11 attacks in New York in 2001. It was possible for passengers, friends and family …

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Can you open an emergency door mid-flight? If not, why not?

Air Travel, Emergencies / By

An Asiana Airbus A321 from Seoul Incheon. Photo credit: N509FZ Can you open an emergency door mid-flight? If not, why not? This is a common question from air travelers. The simple answer is no, you certainly cannot open the door at mid-flight. However, there have been rare instances where doors were opened at lower altitudes. …

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What happened to passenger planes with propeller engines? Are they all gone now?

Air Travel / By

A Malindo Air ATR 72-600 Turboprop plane Photo Credit: Teerawut Wongdee What happened to passenger planes with propeller engines? Are they all gone now? Many people believe that propeller planes are obsolete but the truth is that they are still very much alive and operating in many airlines around the world. They are generally flown …

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Have you ever wondered why pilots sometimes take longer to land even when there’s a technical problem?

Air Travel, Safety / By

  Photo credit: BobMil42 An Airbus Fuel Dumping in progress Have you ever wondered why pilots sometimes take longer to land even when there’s a technical problem? Recently, an unhappy passenger on an Airbus A320 flight from Guangzhou to Kuala Lumpur was left frustrated when the captain decided to fly for about three hours before …

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Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! What does this actually mean?  

Air Travel, Emergencies / By

Mayday call of Qantas flight after an engine failure Photo: 123RF Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! What does this actually mean?   ‘Mayday!’ when repeated 3 times with details and broadcasted over the radio is a cry for help in a life-threatening situation. In days gone by, radio communications could be bad and any distress call must …

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Why did the Concorde stop flying, and is there any chance that it might return one day?

Air Travel / By

  The last three British Airways Concordes in 2003. Credit: BAA Why did the Concorde stop flying, and is there any chance that it might return one day?   There were many reasons that killed the Concorde. This plane was the most powerful commercial pure jet flying from 1976 to 2003. It flew faster than …

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If an engine fails on take-off, will the pilot abort the take-off or continue?

Air Travel, Flying / By

My last London flight, completing 25,500 hours without experiencing an engine failure If an engine fails on take-off, will the pilot abort the take-off or continue? When an engine fails on take-off, a pilot’s decision to go or not, would depend on the speed it has attained. From day one, a pilot is reminded that, …

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Plane came within seconds of disaster when a pilot mistake sent it plunging towards the ocean.

Air Travel, Flying / By

Plane came within seconds of disaster when a pilot mistake sent it plunging towards the ocean. Photo: 123RF On 10 January 2023, a Qatar Airways Boeing 787 flight from Doha to Copenhagen nosedived and narrowly avoided striking the Arabian Gulf shortly after take-off from the Hamad International Airport. According to Flightradar24, a Swedish internet-based service …

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A major air disaster at JFK Airport avoided by the captain on Friday the 13!

Air Travel / By

A Delta Airline plane loading for departure A major air disaster at JFK Airport avoided by the captain on Friday the 13! There are many emergency-drills a pilot practices in the flight simulator in anticipation of a real one in his flying career one day. Indeed, on Friday the 13, January 2023, the captain of …

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Concerned Flyer: Should I be worried about climate change?

Air Travel / By

United Airlines history-making sustainability flight Concerned Flyer: Should I be worried about climate change? Careen wrote to me asking numerous questions about winds, heavy rain, extreme weather, tornadoes and clear air turbulence. She was baffled and wondered whether climate change could affect the safety of air travel. Firstly, climate change defines the increasing changes of …

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