A Yemeni Airbus A310 with 153 people aboard has crashed in the Indian Ocean off the island nation of Comoros. The cause of the crash is still unknown but the Yemenia's deputy general manager for operations reported that "weather conditions were rough" at the time of the crash with "strong wind and high seas". See the Breaking News on the YouTube video below...
I read nearly a lot of your articles. You helped me a lot to conquer my fear of flying... until AF 447 went down. I don't really listen to what the media are speculating. But some other pilots were saying scary thing.
In some of your answers you say that plane wings cannot be torn off the plane, turbulence can't bring an airplane down, any experienced and sane pilot will not fly into a thunderstorm, a lightning strike can't crash a plane, etc.
Well, the other pilots are saying with confidence that "A bolt of lightning could easily wreck an aircraft and cause a crash by itself", "Turbulence could easily wreck an aircraft and cause a crash by itself". (FYI: http://flightlevel390.blogspot.com/2009/06/af-447.html)
Have you ever flown through a thunderstorm, such that you got scared?
What are your thoughts on a "coffin corner"? Are they pushing the limit?
Your website is amazing and I am kind of getting more comfortable about flying... all thanks to you
I appreciate the help you are providing to the fearful flyers. This, in my eyes, is a unique and a great social work!!! Thank you
People say and I do agree with them that air travel is one of the safest means of travelling!! But I still do fear an air crash - more because of the horrifying death (drowning, exploding, burning, suffocating etc)
I am flying from Toronto to Dubai on the 15th June 2009 and back to Toronto on the 29th June . It is Emirates Airlines (Airbus A380) - non stop 14.5 hours.
I am totally dreadful about flying! Especially after the Air France crash this week, I simply can't get over it!! I am going to fly over the Atlantic and it freaks me out even more now!!
My questions:-
1. For how long is the autopilot engaged?
2. When on autopilot, is there still a pilot in the cockpit?
3. When on autopilot, is there anything at all the pilot has to operate? How alert are the pilot while on autopilot?
4. How reliable is the autopilot function?
5. How does it respond to the weather conditions?
6. Is the autopilot on also in the event of a turbulence?
7. What are the chances the autopilot would simply go off?? Could that lead to a crash???
A few other questions:-
8. What does cabin depressurization mean?
9. Is there any way I could get the route an aircraft is going to follow?
10. What are the chances my plane would collide with another on air?
I know these are too many questions, but I insist on you answering all of them for me as soon as possible. My next flight is just a little over a week and I will be so much at peace if I get answers to those queries or rather fears!!!
What is your thought about the Air France incident today?
Do you think weather was the main cause? How much turbulence can an aircraft withstand? Could downdrafts in this weather system have pushed the plane into the ocean?
Is it true that the wings are extremely flexible for turbulence?
My name is Ali. I am a Garuda Indonesia Ground Staff Crew. I would like to ask you about ditching.
Many times, on a lot of airlines, as usual, the F/A would perform safety demonstration before take off. But there is one thing that makes me confused. When I flew "X" airline, they briefed us to inflate our life vests at the doorway but some other airlines briefed us to inflate our life jacket outside the aircraft.
