DALLAS — 

It has been 15 years since the most recent deadly incident involving a U.S. commercial flight, yet this fact may not be apparent when reading about a wave of flight issues within the last three months.

In the past, issues such as cracked windshields and small engine malfunctions were not frequently reported in the media.

In January, a situation arose where a panel covering the designated space for an unused emergency door was blown off from an Alaska Airlines plane while flying at an altitude of 16,000 feet above Oregon. The pilots were able to safely land the Boeing 737 Max, but in the United States, the focus of media attention shifted to this incident, overshadowing a fatal runway accident in Tokyo that occurred three days prior.

The worry surrounding air safety, particularly with Boeing aircraft, has not decreased.

Is air travel becoming riskier?

Using the most basic method of calculation, the response is negative. The most recent fatal accident involving a U.S. airline took place in February 2009, marking a remarkable period of safety. In total, there were 9.6 million flights in the previous year.

However, the absence of deadly accidents does not fully reflect the level of safety. Over the last 15 months, regulators and travelers have become aware of a series of near-misses.

A different gauge is the frequency of pilots making urgent radio messages to air traffic control. According to Flightradar24, a frequently used tracking site, data gathered from mid-January indicate an increase in these calls, although they have not reached the levels observed during a significant portion of 2023.

The measure of emergency calls is not completely accurate as the plane may not have been in immediate peril. Additionally, there are instances where aircrafts experiencing difficulties do not notify the controllers.

Safer than driving

According to the National Safety Council, the likelihood of an American dying in a car accident is 1 in 93, while the probability of dying in a plane crash is too infrequent to calculate. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation supports this observation.

According to Richard Aboulafia, a renowned aerospace analyst and consultant, this mode of transportation is the most secure one ever devised. However, statistics from the safety council show that in 2023 alone, over 44,000 individuals lost their lives on American roads – equivalent to a full 737 airplane.

between surging liabilities and modest claims

However, as liabilities increase and claims remain moderate, the safety margin is decreasing.

According to a November report by a group of specialists, a lack of air traffic controllers, outdated technology for tracking planes, and other issues are posing an increasing danger to safety in the sky.

According to the 52-page report, a combination of challenges is causing a decrease in the margin of safety in the national airspace system. This is making the existing level of safety unsustainable.

What is the current situation at Boeing?

Some, but not all, of the recent occurrences have featured Boeing aircraft.

Boeing is a $78 billion company, a leading U.S. exporter and a century-old, iconic name in aircraft manufacturing. It is one-half of the duopoly, along with Europe’s Airbus, that dominates the production of large passenger jets.

Unfortunately, the organization’s standing was severely harmed due to the incidents involving two 737 Max airplanes. One happened in Indonesia in 2018, while the other occurred in Ethiopia the following year. Tragically, a total of 346 individuals lost their lives. As a result, Boeing has experienced a significant financial loss of approximately $24 billion in the past five years. The company has faced challenges in its manufacturing process, resulting in occasional delays in the deliveries of 737s and 787 Dreamliners.

After recovering from a setback, Boeing faced another challenge when an incident involving an Alaska Airlines Max occurred. Investigations revealed that the bolts used to secure a door-plug panel were missing due to a previous repair at the Boeing plant.

Passengers are being informed by the FBI about an ongoing criminal inquiry. The company’s regulation is being intensified by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Last month, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker expressed concerns about Boeing’s production and unresolved issues from the past.

The CEO of Boeing, David Calhoun, acknowledges that regardless of the outcome of the investigation into the Alaska Airlines plane blowout, the company takes responsibility for the incident. He acknowledges that Boeing is at fault and understands the consequences thereof.

What is the role of design and manufacturing?

Issues associated with an aircraft producer may vary significantly.

There were design flaws in the original Boeing Max aircraft where a single sensor failure triggered the flight-control system to push the plane’s nose down violently, which led to the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. In the aviation industry, it is widely understood that a single component failure should never result in the downfall of an entire aircraft.

In other scenarios, such as the detachment of the door-plug panel on the Alaska Airlines jet, it seems like an error was made during the manufacturing process.

Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst, stated that death is the ultimate consequence and therefore worse. However, dealing with design issues is more difficult as it requires identifying and solving the problem. In contrast, fixing flaws in the manufacturing process is relatively simple by not repeating the initial error.

The production standards seem to be a problem in other cases as well.

In the beginning of this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suggested mandating airlines to examine the wiring bundles near the spoilers on Max jets. This decision was made after a report revealed that improper installation of electrical wires led to wear and tear, resulting in an aircraft rolling 30 degrees in less than a second during a flight in 2021.

Small details can have a big impact. Following an incident this month where a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 went into a temporary nosedive while flying from Australia to New Zealand, Boeing issued a reminder for airlines to regularly check the switches that control the movement of pilot seats. According to reports, the nosedive was likely caused by a flight attendant accidentally hitting the switch.

It is not entirely the fault of Boeing.

Examinations of certain occurrences suggest potential failures in upkeep, and numerous near-misses are a result of mistakes made by pilots or air traffic controllers.

This week, it was revealed by investigators that a plane from American Airlines went past the designated runway in Texas. The plane had recently gone through a brake replacement, but it was discovered that certain hydraulic lines connecting to the brakes were not properly reattached.

In recent weeks, there have been two incidents involving tires on Boeing 777 planes operated by United and American Airlines. One occurred in San Francisco, where a tire fell off a United 777, and the other happened in Los Angeles where an American 777 had to make an emergency landing due to a flat tire.

While the United Boeing 737 was landing in Oregon last week, it was discovered that a section of its aluminum skin was missing. This incident differs from the recent panel blowout experienced by a new Alaska jet, as the United plane in question was 26 years old. The responsibility for maintenance lies with the airline.

When a FedEx cargo plane landing last year in Austin, Texas, flew close over the top of a departing Southwest Airlines jet, it turned out that an air traffic controller had cleared both planes to use the same runway.

Differentiating between significant and mundane

Officials in the aviation industry express the greatest concerns regarding events involving problems with flight controls, engines, and structural integrity.

Incidents like damaged windshields or collisions between planes at airports are not frequent safety hazards. Warning lights may signify either a major issue or a false alert.

Former National Transportation Safety Board member John Goglia stated that every event is treated with great importance, attributing this level of vigilance to the current streak of no crashes. He also acknowledged the difficulty in maintaining this record in the aviation industry.

Source: voanews.com