4 ms·
I got a lot less comfortable flying after working in engineering for a major US airliner. I participated in an investigation as to why an engine suffered a cata
by rms 17y ago
I got a lot less comfortable flying after working in engineering for a major US airliner. I participated in an investigation as to why an engine suffered a catastrophic failure. The investigation was indecisive, the most likely conclusion being some mistake made in maintenance. There are still plenty of Boeing 757s with Rolls Royce engines flying so I don't think this particular event was indicative of an actual flaw with the engine.
Rather, what makes me uncomfortable, is that sometimes very important parts of the plane blow up and the engineers can't figure out why. But hey, at least there are two or four engines and three or more power supplies.
- davidw 17y agoI'm not worried (much) about crashes and the like: I realize it's not very likely. I'm anxious because I'm very high up in a small tin can and can't get down.
- fiaz 17y agoThe last two flights I took, there was something physically wrong with the plane. The first of which occurred after takeoff (the landing gear would not retract), forcing us to circle at low altitude for about 40 minutes before landing; and the second required us to be grounded for about 60 minutes (a component on the wing needed to be replaced in order to pump fuel into the plane). It doesn't give me much confidence in the quality controls of flying, but the fear mindset is much more insidious - and more importantly - in my own personal control. Whenever that mindset kicks in, I joke to myself that life has been good to me, and usually that takes care of things...