Despite at least two well-publicized recent airline tragedies — the so-called “Miracle on the Hudson” and the more recent commuter plane crash in Buffalo, N.Y. — flying is still one of the safest forms of public transportation. And many of us would see our businesses and careers either crippled or brought to a standstill if we didn’t/couldn’t fly frequently.
But it’s when the rare tragedies strike that the risks of air travel really hit home. When my older brother and I were still kids (he’s seven years older than I), he decided to join the military. All of our young lives, he’d loved the idea of the Navy, of being a sailor, or maybe even joining the Air Force and flying. We grew up in very land-locked southeastern Nebraska, then Denver, so sailing and flying both had some romantic appeal for both of us.
He joined the Army. When I found that out, I asked him why not the Navy. His answer, though intended to be sort of flip, was something like: “I figured if I get in trouble I can probably run farther than I can swim, and I know I can run farther than I can fly.”
Which, of course, is why just about any mistakes, on those rare occasions when they happen on a commercial flight, are FAR more serious than a flat tire on a truck or bus.
Which, in turn, is the reason we all hope for the best as investigators probe the wreckage and investigate all the circumstances of the horrible accident in Buffalo. May they find what happened and, hopefully, find ways of preventing such tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, if I need to make a long trip, I’m still going to bet on air travel as the best means of getting there (assuming I can afford it).
My wife and I recently flew to Vegas and she commented on how much more thoroughly they covered the safety instructions.