Why takeoff and landing are the most dangerous. What is more dangerous: taking off or landing an airplane?

On this site I pay a lot of attention to aerophobia and how to deal with it. Because this is a very common fear, and even I myself can’t stand going up in the air.

Another article dedicated to airplanes and flights talks about why, in fact, flying is much safer than we imagine. Read and have clear skies!

Is turbulence dangerous, how do weather conditions and lightning affect the plane? A British Airways pilot answers these and other questions.

Turbulence zone - is it dangerous?

Despite the inconvenience, it is absolutely safe; in our Fly With Confidence courses we try to explain this as clearly as possible. Those aircraft on which passenger air transportation is carried out can withstand enormous turbulence, significantly big one, which you have most likely experienced.

The problem with turbulence zones is that they cannot be detected in advance. True, pilots who fly through these zones report this fact - this information reaches those pilots who fly after them.

Sometimes you can get out of this zone if you change your flight altitude (fly higher or lower), but this does not always help. This only affects the sensations of passengers, but not the safety of the flight.

Wind shear, or wind shear. What is this? Dangerous?

Wind shear is a dangerous phenomenon during landing and takeoff. This is a sudden change in wind speed or direction as the aircraft increases or decreases speed.

If the wind affects the speed in such a way that it falls below the minimum permissible, then the probability of the plane crashing is high.

All pilots undergo hours of training, and aircraft and some airfields are equipped with warning systems for potential drift.

Should I worry if the flight takes place in bad conditions? weather conditions(snow, rain)?

No. Pilots are very knowledgeable about weather conditions, always studying the current forecasts at departure and arrival airports, as well as the weather at airports along the route.

As for fuel reserves, we always have a larger amount filled if, according to the forecast, problems are expected at the arrival airport - at such moments it may be necessary to delay landing and go around.

Is too windy weather a barrier to planting?

There are many videos online showing when a plane lands at an angle, is it safe?

Each type of aircraft has a limit that pilots will not violate in crosswinds. Often smaller airports don't have a wind runway, so yes, wind can be an obstacle to landing in a very small number of cases.

But the wind speed and direction are analyzed in advance; in rare cases, the flight may be canceled or transferred to a nearby airport for this reason.

As for the videos, they look scary, but for landing in strong crosswinds there is a special control technique, all this is safe and practiced by pilots.

How do pilots land planes in thick fog?

Using the Autoland program. This is a complex system that uses ILS - Instrument Landing System - a combination of ground beams that will guide the aircraft to the landing strip.

In this case, pilots may not see the runway until the landing gear touches the ground. This may be the case, say, at Heathrow Airport, where there is a modern ILS system.

Pilots manually land planes 98% of the time, but Autoland training is conducted at British Airways every six months throughout a pilot's career.

What happens if a plane is struck by lightning?

No problem, all commercial aircraft are designed so that lightning strikes do not affect their performance in any way. Airplanes are equipped with electrostatic dischargers, which are usually located at the tips of the wings.

If lightning does hit the plane, they release electricity into the air. After any such incident (and this is also very rare), the aircraft is inspected for damage to the skin.

What happens if a tire bursts?

At low take-off speeds this may cause the take-off to be cancelled, but at high speeds the flight will not be interrupted. A plane can land with any number of burst tires.

Should you be afraid of bird strikes?

Of course not, such things happen extremely rarely. If this happens, there is minimal or no damage to the aircraft and all engines are tested to withstand a bird strike.

Mid-air collision - what are the chances of that?

There are three things you should know about this.

First, airport dispatchers undergo strict selection, training and licensing. Their task is to create a so-called protective bubble, which increases in size with increasing altitude and speed of the aircraft.

Secondly, the pilot is a professional in his field, he goes through a huge number of tests, selections and checks.

Third, all aircraft are equipped with electronic systems that allow pilots to negotiate with each other.

If the airline is a low-cost carrier, is it more dangerous to fly with it? They save money.

I cannot be responsible for other companies, but for all airlines that are members of ICAO (International Association civil aviation) there is a minimum level of preparation and tests. And this level is actually very high.

Are small planes more dangerous to fly?

No, they have the same equipment and safety standards, it’s just that the turbulence in smaller aircraft is more noticeable. Therefore, most passengers may feel that flying on such an aircraft is more dangerous.

What's the most dangerous part of flying? It is believed that this is a takeoff or landing.

Believe me, your taxi ride to the airport is statistically much more dangerous than any part of the plane flight.

Shortly after takeoff I feel the plane crash, what is it?

These are just features of our vestibular apparatus, which is accustomed to being on the ground. As for the plane, the pilot only reduced the rate of climb.

At cruising altitude I can sometimes hear a sudden loud hum from the engines, as if the turbines are increasing in power?

This is a standard step climb technique, it is carried out with the aim of increasing engine efficiency when the aircraft becomes lighter (some of the fuel is used up).

How do you know if the plane has enough fuel?

The fuel level is something that the pilot always controls. By law, aircraft must carry emergency fuel reserves.

Can phones affect the operation of an airplane?

Do pilots sleep on board?

On long-haul flights (more than nine hours), a third pilot always flies with us. The pilots take turns resting in the staff area. In some cases, there may be four pilots on board at once.

What happens if one of the two pilots loses the ability to fly the plane? What if both?

One pilot is quite capable of flying an airplane - this is standard simulator training. There have never been cases in the world where two pilots switched off at once; these are fictions from movies. As mentioned above, the crew often consists of three or even four pilots.

Is it dangerous to fly at night?

No, because the technology and all the tools are used exactly the same as during the day.

Useful tips

In light of regular terrible news regarding plane crashes, people who are not involved in air travel can’t help but think about safety flights . Questions arise whose answers are nowhere to be found.

What is an oxygen mask for? What is more dangerous - takeoff or landing? Answers for you experienced professional pilot Flight and technical training manager Captain Dave Thomas, who works for British Airways.

Flight safety

For millions of passengers around the world, the thought of flying evokes fear. And in some extreme cases, this feeling even makes you give up traveling altogether. Are these fears justified? Let's figure it out.

Are flights safer now than 10-20 years ago?

Flights on modern jet planes currently have high degree of security.

According to statistics, since 2009, there have been 1 million accidents per 1 million flights. 4 times less. The entire flight system is primarily focused on improving the safety of air transportation.

What is the risk that the plane will crash?

The chances that the plane you are traveling on will crash are scanty. You are much more likely to crash in the car taking you to the airport.

Statistics from the International Air Transport Association show that the number of accidents in global aviation constantly falling year after year.

It should be noted that airlines do not rest on their laurels and work tirelessly to organize the safest flights possible.

Is the turbulence zone dangerous?

This may be the main concern of nervous travelers who are horrified by a slight shake and an announcement to fasten their seat belt. But there's really nothing to worry about.

Passengers feel discomfort in the turbulence zone, but this not dangerous. However, always It's better to follow safety tips and fasten your seat belt to avoid potential minor injuries.

The captain of the airship must consult passengers during any turbulence as an additional safety measure.

Why do passenger planes fly at an altitude of 10 km?

This height is a kind of compromise between engine efficiency and aerodynamics for jet aircraft.

Modern gas turbine engines working more effective at an altitude of about 10 km, in contrast to turboprop aircraft (a mixture of a gas turbine and a propeller), which require a lower altitude (6-8 km).

What's riskier - takeoff or landing?

Both takeoff and landing are maneuvers that require the pilot to high level of skill. Therefore, special government organizations (and primarily the airlines themselves) are very strictly select personnel and train pilots on modern simulators, which helps them hone their aircraft control skills to the maximum.

Maneuvers at some airports and during adverse weather conditions require additional skills and procedures. But thanks to modern simulators, pilot training is becoming much more effective than it was before.

Why don't planes have parachutes?

Pilots are trained to land in the event of malfunctions. It's much safer and more practical. In addition, it is extremely difficult (even impossible) to competently organize an emergency disembarkation of passengers using parachutes.

Why don't civilian planes fly over military zones?

Airlines work closely with government (and other) security agencies to ensure that civil aircraft didn't fly over dangerous combat zones.

This is exactly what happened with Malaysian Airlines (MH17) in July last year, when 298 people died. The airline allowed its planes to fly in a combat zone, underestimating the risks in a conflict zone.

Local aviation authorities make assessments and recommendations, which are then passed on to the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). And airlines, in turn, choose what to do.

Airplane safety

Where does the water go down in an airplane toilet?

What is a black box?

The black box is actually orange. It contains recording device, on which all pilots' conversations are saved.

Modern aircraft also have so-called QARs or Quick recorders that record even more information than is usually needed.

Why do they announce during boarding that passengers must close their window shades?

This is done so that a person wasn't blinded and got used to more light outside the plane.

The announcement of closing window blinds is exclusively recommendatory character and ensures passenger comfort.

What are oxygen masks used for?

Oxygen masks on airplanes are enough smart mechanism, which determines the need for a mask by monitoring the pressure inside the aircraft. Oxygen masks can automatically deploy. There is also a separate button on board, which does the same thing.

How often are pilots' knowledge tested?

Professional pilots are one of the highest paid professions, and therefore require regular recertification.

All pilots are tested on a special simulator for two days every six months. They are also tested in a “live” flight once a year.

A training course to fly a new type of aircraft may take from three weeks to three months, depending on whether the pilot has flown similar aircraft before aircraft or not. Reputation is very important for any airline, so flight safety is always a top priority.

What is the safest seat on a plane?

All passenger seats have very high safety standards. In addition, according to statistics, airliners are the safest mode of transport in the world.

According to statistics, it is during the final stage of a flight, landing, that more than half of all air accidents occur. It lasts only a few minutes, but during this time the pilots need to perform many manipulations. Therefore, the probability of error is quite high.

Descending from flight level

Collision with another aircraft. While descending, the plane crosses several air levels. There is a danger of collision with another aircraft.

Collision with a mountain. Because of bad weather and radar failure or crew errors, the car may crash into a mountain while descending.

Turns before landing

Danger of losing speed. At this stage, the most important task of the pilot is to reduce the speed of the aircraft from approximately 900 to 350 km/h. If the speed drops too quickly, the wings stop supporting the car. The cause of a large number of accidents is excessive loss of speed on turns.

Failure of wing mechanization. If during descent one flap comes out and the other does not, the plane will begin to turn. In this case, you can only rely on the skill of the crew.

Glide path descent

Danger of losing speed and colliding with the ground. Due to errors or malfunctioning equipment, an aircraft, especially one landing “blindly,” may land short of the runway. When landing, for example, on a plowed field at a speed of 350 km/h, the landing gear may not be able to withstand it.

Rough landing. There have been many cases in the history of aviation when pilots simply broke a plane by roughly “dropping” it onto the runway. Typically, such landings are preceded by other errors during descent and turns.

Collision with other aircraft. Another plane may end up on the runway due to a controller error. If the pilot of a landing airliner does not notice the danger and does not go around, an accident is inevitable.

Mileage after touching the stripe

Brake failure. Reverse failure. In these cases, the plane simply will not be able to stop. The inertia of cars weighing 100 tons, rushing at a speed of 250 km/h is a very serious force.

Chassis rupture, struts breakage. The aircraft landing gear has a high safety margin, but even they cannot withstand some overloads. A broken wheel even on a car traveling at a speed of 100 km/h can lead to disaster, but an airplane is 50-100 times heavier and its speed is three times higher.

The head of the flight method department, Tu-154 and A320 pilot-instructor Alexander Ushkov answers.

It is known that smoking is not allowed on board, but passengers still smoke in the toilets. How safe is it to fly?

Smoking on board the aircraft is strictly prohibited! The airliner flies at high speed, there is a lot of oxygen, as well as flammable substances. A fire on board is a terrible thing. If it starts in a hard-to-reach place, it is very difficult to extinguish it!

In this case, pilots have only one instruction - to land the plane as quickly as possible, including outside the airfield. So, at one time in America, almost 350 passengers burned to death in 15 minutes due to the fact that one of them smoked in the toilet of the liner and threw the cigarette butt into a container for paper waste! Nowadays, special sensors are installed in the toilets of every airliner, and if someone smokes, a red alarm goes off. Including in the cockpit. Red indicates the highest level of danger on board. The violator may face a fine and transfer to the police upon boarding. By the way, in the USA, a passenger once locked himself in the toilet and smoked. When the flight attendant reprimanded him and asked him to leave, he was rude to her. The crew reported to the ground, 2 fighters immediately took off, and the airliner landed, accompanied by them. The smoker was given 20 years in prison.

Recently, an American pilot was forced to land his plane on a river because a flock of geese got into the engine. It turns out that every passenger exposes himself to danger - after all, birds fly every day...

Birds fly every day, but they very rarely get into airplane engines. At our airport, like others, there is an ornithological service that prevents the accumulation of birds near the airfield. This service is armed with acoustic, laser, and pyrotechnic installations that cause panic in birds.

It is important to keep birds away from the plane during takeoff and landing, since during the flight the birds and I are at different altitudes. By the way, if one goose hits, it most likely will not damage the plane, but a flock, as was the case in the USA, can disable the airliner. It is impossible to close the engines with anything - the plane simply will not take off.

- Some say that the most dangerous moment is takeoff, others - landing. How is it really?

The threat of an emergency situation exists both during takeoff - the engines operate at high, almost maximum speed, the landing gear and fuselage bear a heavy load, and during landing. Especially in bad weather conditions. But the load on the pilot is greater during landing.

Special squad for the president

The head of the complex answers aviation security Denis Muravyov.

Our compatriots love to drink during the flight, and then start fights on board. Why don't airlines do anything about this problem? Why won't they ban the sale of alcohol in the cabin and at the airport?

We have rules of behavior for passengers on board, which also apply to drinking alcoholic beverages.

Firstly, an openly drunk person will not be allowed on the plane. Secondly, opening packages of alcohol purchased in duty free stores is prohibited in the salon. Flight attendants will also not offer free alcoholic drinks to a drunk passenger. But some still manage to drink heavily, start a scandal, fight, and so on. In this case, the commander has the right to land in any country in the world and hand over the rowdy to the hands of law enforcement agencies. In November 2008, we handed over 12 violators to foreign authorities. We can also seek compensation for damages through the court. Even if it is 100 rubles!

Now we are suing passengers, because of whose drunken antics the crew was forced to turn the plane back to St. Petersburg from the halfway point. By the way, in Europe such passengers are entered into the EU database and subsequently may be refused a visa. As for the ban on the sale of alcohol at airports, I am for it. But you won’t see this in any country in the world. Except in Saudi Arabia. I would like to note that this is not only a Russian problem. Americans, French, Germans face this...

The head of the press service, Marina Peshekhonova, answers.

- Which planes do Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev prefer - domestic or foreign?

A special air squad is responsible for transporting senior officials. Its aircraft fleet historically consists only of Russian aircraft. This is board number 1 of the Il-96, as well as aircraft

Il-62, Yak-40, Tu-154 and Tu-134. So both the president and the prime minister fly on domestic airliners. And safety and comfort are guaranteed on any type of aircraft.

In the worst of old times, I divided all phases of flight into four clear fears:

1) takeoff when flying there;

1) landing when flying there;

3) takeoff during the flight back;

4) landing on the flight back.

Why did I do this? Because society has brainwashed me so much that it has made me believe that takeoff and landing are the most dangerous parts of flight.

My first draft of the questionnaire included two questions that I subsequently omitted:

1) form of movement;

2) what stage of the flight do you consider the most dangerous?

Ironically, the answer to the first question was always yes. Likewise, the answer to the second question was invariably the same: landing and takeoff. What's the irony here? The point is that although each answer seems correct, they contradict each other. If the flight is safe, then how can we say that takeoff and landing are dangerous? In fact, it is the wording of the second question that is the cause of this logical fallacy. Landings and takeoffs are not dangerous, and the truth is that no part of the flight poses a risk.

However, because relatively few accidents often occur during takeoff or landing, our brains are fooled into believing that these maneuvers are actually dangerous. They are no more scary than the start and stop of a train. The wording of the question creates the impression that flying is actually dangerous.

Even after I learned to take flights in stride, my wife and I always held hands during takeoff and landing. And when each takeoff or landing ended safely, we smiled at each other, as if we had survived an avalanche or a hurricane. Why did we behave this way? After all, we did not perform such a ritual using other modes of transport. I know now that I personally did this because I sincerely believed that I had experienced some very important event. But why did such a need arise for Joyce, who claimed that she never suffered from a fear of flying?

We continue this ritual to this day. I can't speak for Joyce, but I do it not because I'm afraid of taking off or landing, but because it has become a sweet, beloved habit that reminds me of the times when I didn't so much hold her hand as I almost broke it. fingers. Joyce says she's not afraid of flying because if we die, at least we die together. I find this comforting and flattering, but the fact that we don't hold hands when we board a bus or train means she must see significantly more opportunities to die during takeoff or landing.

Let's now explain what makes takeoff and landing completely safe. You have taxied safely to the main runway. The engines have already been started and have just been checked, as has the rest of the plane. The captain revs up the engines and then releases the brakes. The plane begins to take off along the runway. It reaches that speed where you instinctively feel that the plane should take off. But he doesn't take off. You realize that something is going wrong. That's when you start to regret bringing your golf clubs and worry about whether you have enough runway. You discover that you yourself are trying to physically lift the plane. You want to shout to all the passengers:

“Well, come on! If we all concentrate our efforts, we can get this thing off the ground!”

In all likelihood, your feelings are correct; the pilot could well have taken off at the speed you felt. So why didn't he do it? Because he wants to survive, just like you.

The exact speed at which the pilot must pull the handle is calculated in advance. The airline doesn't weigh your luggage just to get you more money in excess weight fees. She knows the weight of the plane itself, but she also needs to know the number of passengers and crew, the weight of cargo and fuel. Based on this data, the exact speed at which the plane must run in order to take off is calculated.

However, taking off at this particular speed would be very risky: the slightest error in calculations, a change in wind strength, or a failure in any of the engines at the time of takeoff could cause the plane to lose speed. Therefore, the pilot does not even try to take off at this speed. As with everything related to modern civil aviation, there is a safety margin built into the aircraft's takeoff run. If we talk about takeoff speed, then this margin is about 30%. Therefore, if the actual takeoff speed is 240 km/h, this means that the pilot could take off at a speed of about 180 km/h.

How does a pilot keep a plane on the ground when the laws of aerodynamics dictate that the plane must take off at a speed of 180 km/h? Here he is helped by a control system that makes it possible to change the shape of the aircraft. Both the wings and tail have movable parts. They are called flaps. Think about a hat with a brim. If the brim sag, the hat is unlikely to fly off your head. If they are raised up, then no pins will hold it.

During the initial phase of takeoff, the pilot uses flaps, similar to how spoilers (lift dampers) are used on cars, to keep the aircraft on the ground. When he reaches a speed at which the plane can take off without hindrance, he simply removes these flaps, and the airliner can only obey the laws of nature and soar upward.

The plane underwent technical inspection before it was towed to the runway. A wide, flat runway stretches out in front of the pilot. He accelerates to the calculated take-off speed, pulls back the lever, and the plane has no choice but to take off. What could happen here?

I'm sure you've remembered the many dangers. We will talk about them in the following chapters. Perhaps the most common fear is that