Photo: 123RF From the Back Seats And the safest seat on an aircraft is… In studies by TIME of 17 plane crashes between 1985 and 2000, the safest place in the plane cabin is the back seats, followed by the mid-section and then the front compartment. These statistics might not be so compelling because of …
Image: RF123 An Airbus A350 holds the World record for the longest non-stop flight Charles Raisor from Quora asks the above question. I assume he meant ‘running out of fuel’ rather than ‘running out of gas’. Only piston propeller planes use gas or avgas (aviation gas). Modern commercial airliners run on jet fuel of various …
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Map of Antarctica The Covid-19 crisis has hit the airline industry very hard and caused the loss of 46 million aviation-supported jobs. As such, I was retrenched as a flight simulator instructor because there were no longer many pilots left to be trained or checked. I even closed down my 20-year-old flying website and retitled …
Plane flying by the right of my house (Blue Dot) “Wow! So many planes! Surely international travel is opening up for Malaysia!”, my neighbor exclaimed as I was doing my morning exercises yesterday. I then explained that the seasonal winds have shifted to a south-easterly direction and most planes are now landing on the right …
Image Travel 3Sixty I was recently asked to identify the most difficult aspects of handling a plane. I think a more interesting question would be which of the three main manoeuvres – taxiing, takeoff or landing – is the most challenging. The truth is that there is no definitive answer; different pilots find each of …
Learn to manage travel anxiety for an enjoyable flight with these tips from Captain Lim Khoy Hing. Image: Travel 3Sixty Without a doubt, sound knowledge and understanding of the principles of flying go a long way in helping one relax enough to enjoy a flight; this is something I have frequently reiterated in my earlier …
Image -Travel 3Sixty It’s interesting how good manners can oftentimes completely disappear when patience wears thin and fuses become short in a less than ideal situation. I’ve observed this at the departure gate when, frustrated by a slight delay, passengers jostle to get on board and claim space in the overhead cabin before anyone else …
Image – Travel 3Sixty What makes apples fall from trees? What stops you from floating off into space? Gravity – the force that pulls or attracts a body towards the centre of the Earth. Tightrope walkers understand this better than anyone else. Precariously navigating a rope that seems as fine as a thread, with just …
Image: Travel 3Sixty There is an appropriate time and place for everything, including capturing snapshots for lasting memories. As smartphones evolve to become smarter, their built-in cameras ever more powerful, and the range of photo editing apps even more creative, it seems that conventional consumer cameras are becoming obsolete. Given the ease of whipping out …
Below is the second part to an earlier posting on the ‘perils of personal parachute’, a question by Jenny… Hi Captain Lim, As what we have seen and heard from the news, the survival rate when a plane crashes is mostly 0%. Is there no technology now that can be done to improve the situation? …
Pilot’s Perspective: Saluting Cabin Crew Becoming a member of the cabin crew requires much more than a pretty face. Comprehensive training, a cool head and a big heart all figure into the makeup of the glamorous jet setting crew. Words: Captain Lim Khoy Hing In January 15, 2009, Captain Sully successfully touched down on the …
Pilot’s Perspective: The Dry Dilemma Captain Lim Khoy Hing explores the strange effects of dry cabin air. A guest once wrote to me for tips on overcoming the problems caused by dry air. He asked if the air in the cabin could be the reason his nose often bled while flying. Air inside an airplane …
Some air travellers describe their encounter with air pockets as dropping thousands of feet. I have often explained that the experience is similar to travelling on land where a smooth road suddenly gives way to bumps and potholes, making the journey a little uncomfortable. Plane above the clouds Image: GETTY WHAT IS AN AIR POCKET? …
Hi Capt Lim, I want to know what happens if I get a panic attack on board an airplane? John. Hi John, Well, to answer your short and precise question, I would like to elaborate a little more for the benefit of others. The American Medical Association states that, amongst the common medical problems that …
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The dream of space tourism is becoming a reality. Here, I will take you behind the scenes of commercial space travel. Source: Travel 3Sixty Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company under the Virgin Group owned by the fervent British entrepreneur, is gearing up to provide commercial space flights to space tourists. Branson’s …
What does IOSA certification really mean? Please read on to understand the stringent safety measures that govern the aviation industry. An Airbus A330 Flight Simulator Last September, AirAsia X Malaysia was officially recognised as an IOSA – International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit – registered operator. More stringent than the ISO 9001, which …
Captain Lim Khoy Hing shares insights on choosing seats and handling turbulence on board – for a relaxing journey through the skies. Source Travel 3Sixty AirAsia Premium Flatbed seat Which is the best seat on the plane? Some say it’s the aisle seat, while others prefer to sit by the window so they can enjoy …
Did you know that birds can remain in the air longer than a commercial airliner?Here are the remarkable facts about the creature that inspired the Wright brothers. Image source: Travel 3Sixty The golden plover According to American researcher Dr Jobe Martin, the golden plover bird – about the size of a pigeon and weighing an …
Source Travel 3Sixty Cracks on the ground caused by earthquakes Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Lombok, an island to the east of Bali, Indonesia, in July and August, I was asked an important question: What would happen if an earthquake were to hit the runway as an airplane is approaching for landing? Circumstances …
From puffy white streaks that appear in the blue to shooting stars, the article below unravels the mysteries of the skies Source: Travel 3Sixty The contrails of a cruising aircraft When I was a young boy, I often wondered about the white smokey streaks across the sky that could be seen on a clear day. …