Are YOU afraid of flying?
2Clarkey (aka The Phobic Flyer) has teamed up with Peter C who is a Captain on the Boeing 737 800 (NG) for a major UK leisure airline. Peter answers your questions about the many different aspects of aviation and why you might be afraid of flying and in turn reassuring you how safe it is.
We have serialised these Questions and Answers and will be publishing them weekly, over the next few weeks.
1)Is turbulence dangerous?
2) Are thunderstorms dangerous?
3) Can planes get hit by lightning?
4) What happens if an engine fails?
5) Is it safer to fly across the ocean in a 4 engine aircraft instead of 2 engine aircraft?
6) Are jet aircraft safer than propeller aircraft?
7) How much fuel is really onboard?
8) Dangerous airports, do they really exist?
9) The emergency oxygen, where does it come from and how long does it last?
10) I’ve seen engineers putting silver masking tape on a plane, what is this, is it safe?
11) Can parts of the plane be broken but still be allowed to fly?
12) Why during landing does it sound like the engines are revving up and down continuously?
13) What is the shudder/shaking noise when the wheels retract on some aircraft?
14) How does the wing remain capable of keeping the aircraft in the air when it dismantles itself for landing (flaps fully extended and passengers being able to see through the wing)?
15) Planes land themselves every time, so what do the pilots do, are they needed?
16) Is there a safest seat to sit on a plane?
17) What are ATC Slot Delays, and can pilots really make up delayed time in flight?
Interior factor (passengers) topics
1) Is the air recirculated on a plane, where does the air come from?
2) Am I more likely to get ill on a plane from the air?
3) How dirty are planes?
4) Should I drink the water/tea/coffee on a plane?
5) Does it matter what type of clothes I wear on a plane?
Interior factors (pilots) topics
1) Do the pilots eat the same food?
2) Do the pilots sleep during flight?
3) What happens if one pilot/both pilots are taken ill?
4) Can only the captain fly the plane, what does the co-pilot do, and how many pilots are there onboard anyway?
5) How do the pilots know where they are going, on the ground and in the air?