NASA Releases Disturbing Airline Safety Data

NASA Releases Cryptic Airline Safety Data

science.slashdot.org

NASA released part of a controversial study about air traffic safety Monday. The space agency spent $11 million on a survey of airline pilots. Agency officials were so disturbed by the findings that they intended to destroy the information rather than release it. But at an October congressional hearing, NASA administrator Michael Griffin changed tack and said the agency would release its findings. The research shows that safety problems occur far more often than previously recognized. NASA has been criticized however for not providing 'documentation on how to use its data, nor did it provide keys to unlock the cryptic codes used in the dataset.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 31-12-2007 by sobolwolf]

Well, well that makes one feel all warm and fuzzy about flying... and here was I with the thought that airline pilots where way above and beyond the average joe... come to think about it I used to think the same about computer programmers... until I become one that is... um er

science.slashdot.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

From just what the quoted paragraph said I don't think there is much to worry about. A safety problem could be anything, from large to small. For example I once heard that even a medium to small air line can have thousands of log pages written up daily. So if that is being based on things being written in the log, the report is seriously jaded.

Originally posted by sobolwolf

Well, well that makes one feel all warm and fuzzy about flying... and here was I with the thought that airline pilots where way above and beyond the average joe... come to think about it I used to think the same about computer programmers... until I become one that is... um er

Pilots are not way above and beyond the average joe. They are just like all other professionals like doctors, scientists, engineers etc. We make mistakes just like everyone else.

We do our best just like all the other professionals but sometimes we make mistakes. Big ones. We are subject to the same temptations. Alcohol, drugs, divorce, You name it.

Actually somewhat less because we have random and scheduled drug tests. But many of us know how to fake that.

You buy your ticket and trust in that gray haired, handsome, uniformed professional that greets you. But like I said, he is just like the rest of us.

Truth be told, of my 19,000 hours of flying I probably slept a third of it. That's the truth. Maybe I'll write a book about it all but probably not.

If I do write a book the title will be "The First Thousand Dumbest Things I Ever Did In an Airplane." That will leave room for the sequels. And that’s the truth.

I never killed anybody flying an airplane except almost myself. June 24, 1961. In Switzerland. I paid for it, and still pay for it. I can hardly walk anymore.

But I took advantage of the words that General James H. Doolittle wrote to me on June 26, 1961:

"It may cheer you to know that in my humble opinion there are three types of people in the world:

Type one never takes a chance. He is destined to mediocrity.

Type two makes the same mistake repeatedly he never lasts long.

Type three takes calculate risks and profits from his mistakes. From this type come the world's greatest leaders."

I don't consider myself a leader. But I do humbly suggest that I have profited from General Doolittle's words.

And I do tell the truth. A least as I believe it.

reply to post by johnlear


John
wow that was a wonderful post. A letter from Doolittle him self!
If I had that I think it would be framed and on the wall. Probably a security system also.
So is it correct that you have not flown since nineteen sixty one?
Or am I misinterpreting your post?

Originally posted by RedGolem

John
wow that was a wonderful post. A letter from Doolittle him self!
If I had that I think it would be framed and on the wall. Probably a security system also.

Thanks Red. I have it framed on my wall. In between the 2 pages of his letter I have a picture of him taking off in a B-25 from the U.S.S. Hornet on his way to bomb Tokyo, April 18, 1942.

So is it correct that you have not flown since nineteen sixty one?
Or am I misinterpreting your post?

I continued flying and retired in 2001.

Happy New Year.

reply to post by johnlear


John
That is quite an office you have there. Thanks for the pic. If I were to ever see it I would probably be drooling all over the place

Am glad you continued flying. I am not a pilot but I can feel my eye sight going and do worry how long I will be able to work.

Thanks Mr Lear,

I actually took a bit of solace in the fact that it is said one has more chance of being struck by lightning than dying in an airline crash. It was a tough year for us in Brazil, we had two major airline disasters and I guess this gave me the willies!

I will be flying soon either to the US or Australia and once again I will be putting my life in the hands of others... I guess in the end, if your ticket is up, it is up and there is nothing more to do than hold on for the ride

Originally posted by sobolwolf

I will be flying soon either to the US or Australia and once again I will be putting my life in the hands of others... I guess in the end, if your ticket is up, it is up and there is nothing more to do than hold on for the ride

That is exactly correct sobolwolf. If it is not your time and you are in an airplane crash you will find yourself in a cool bubble of air walking out of the wreckage.

If it is your time, and you are in airplane crash it really doesn't hurt. Your last thought will be, "Holy smokes...I think I'm dead."

Happy new year everyone...

I believe statistically planes are one safest methods of transport, say compared to cars, the biggest killer of men under 25 in the UK (I think).

And as John and the OP mentions, pilots are only human, but I respect them...