The rise of the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.......

Electric vertical take-off and landing is one of the very latest innovations in the aerospace industry. Also referred to as a ‘flying car’ or ‘air taxi’, one of these giant drone look-alikes could soon be ferrying you to your destination. Jim Scott, co-founder and managing director of Artemis Aerospace, has a look at a technological achievement which you might spot soaring over your house before too long . . .

We’re used to helicopters whirring overhead, carrying businesspeople to meetings, celebrities to lunch or an air ambulance crew on their way to an incident. We may have spotted a drone as it’s sent up to take an aerial photograph for an estate agent, and any day now we’re expecting one to drop off our latest online parcel order.

However, you may not know this technology has advanced so much that an eVTOL aircraft for the transportation of people now has serious commercial potential, and there are a number of prototypes being designed and developed. In 2021, $6.9 billion was committed to eVTOL startup conceptualisation and manufacture, and this is now coming to fruition, with at least seven versions due to take to the skies in the next few years.

The phrase ‘flying car’ may bring to mind an image of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but the kind of blueprint produced at R&D departments throughout the aviation industry is light years ahead. Major advances in electric propulsion brought about by the rise of sustainable battery-operated cars have given rise to the idea of a quiet, environmentally friendly, and less expensive way of transporting goods and people.

eVTOL aircraft work by electric motors with fixed-pitch propellers, typically using multiple advanced lithium-ion batteries which enable short flights of up to 200 miles. As with cars, charging the batteries will obviously be a crucial part of commercial viability for eVTOLs, as too much AOG (Aircraft on Ground) time would not be market-worthy. Battery systems that can recharge to 100 per cent in half an hour are currently being investigated.

Ready for your next flight? What to eat at 30,000 feet.....

Photo Credit https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/GelatoPlus?mediatype=photography

Mention airline food and most people will readily recount their experiences. This may include the ubiquitous packet of pretzels, but for a first-class menu, how do chefs plan, prepare and produce gourmet food for sky-high consumption? Here, Artemis Aerospace explores the in-flight catering industry and the science behind delivering delicious meals on board.

The multi-million-pound industry of in-flight catering is a topic which arouses heated discussion among frequent flyers. There is even a website dedicated entirely to airline meals and the ratings people have given them, with photos of each dish.

However, creating a gastronomic treat for first class passengers isn’t just a question of premium ingredients and catering expertise. According to research for Lufthansa by the Fraunhofer Institute, salt is perceived to be between 20 and 30% less intense and sugar 15 to 20% less intense at high altitude, and overall almost 70% of your sense of taste is lost. This is due to a combination of factors including the decibel level from the engine noise, and less than 12% humidity, which rivals a desert atmosphere.

As if this weren’t enough, low cabin pressure also decreases blood oxygen levels, which means that your olfactory receptors, which play a critical role in perceiving odours, become less sensitive. Around 85% of what we think of as ‘taste’ is actually due to our sense of smell. So when people accuse airline food of being bland, this may not be an entirely fair assumption!

Interestingly, spicy, bitter, sour and umami flavours are barely affected, garlic being one example, and some foods, like lemongrass and curry, are actually enhanced by airborne eating. It’s a well-documented fact that people will often crave tomato juice while flying, even if it’s not something they usually drink, because at altitude it tastes sweeter and more fruity.

Artemis Aerospace discusses what to eat at 30,000 feet

Mention airline food and most people will readily recount their experiences. This may include the ubiquitous packet of pretzels, but for a first-class menu, how do chefs plan, prepare and produce gourmet food for sky-high consumption? 

Here, Artemis Aerospace explores the in-flight catering industry and the science behind delivering delicious meals on board.

The multi-million-pound industry of in-flight catering is a topic which arouses heated discussion among frequent flyers. There is even a website dedicated entirely to airline meals and the ratings people have given them, with photos of each dish.

However, creating a gastronomic treat for first-class passengers isn't just a question of premium ingredients and catering expertise. According to research for Lufthansa by the Fraunhofer Institute, salt is perceived to be between 20 and 30% less intense and sugar 15 to 20% less intense at high altitude, and overall almost 70% of your sense of taste is lost. This is due to a combination of factors including the decibel level from the engine noise, and less than 12% humidity, which rivals a desert atmosphere.

As if this weren't enough, low cabin pressure also decreases blood oxygen levels, which means that your olfactory receptors, which play a critical role in perceiving odours, become less sensitive. Around 85% of what we think of as 'taste' is actually due to our sense of smell. So when people accuse airline food of being bland, this may not be an entirely fair assumption!

Interestingly, spicy, bitter, sour and umami flavours are barely affected, garlic being one example, and some foods, like lemongrass and curry, are actually enhanced by airborne eating. It's a well-documented fact that people will often crave tomato juice while flying, even if it's not something they usually drink, because at altitude it tastes sweeter and more fruity.

Teams of executive chefs are employed by airlines to experiment with flavours and come up with dishes which are modified to allow for these changes in taste. Natural herbs and spices predominate rather than trying to increase salt levels, as too much sodium contributes to dehydration while in the air. Ingredients with bold flavours, such as mushrooms, hard cheeses, soy, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and citrus fruits are popular choices, while more subtle flavour enhancers are largely ineffectual.

Once these concessions have been factored into a recipe, individual meals are prepared in state-of-the-art facilities close to the airport. Most airlines don't have full kitchens for health and safety reasons, so an onboard chef is a rarity on commercial flights. A great deal of preparation goes into forecasting upcoming food trends, such as the increasing popularity of plant-based foods or a particular type of world cuisine, and into the accommodation of special dietary requirements. Menus are also rotated to try to avoid people getting the same meal on a return flight.

Hand carry services – what are they and how are they used?

Hand carry services – what are they and how are they used?

How many people travelling through an airport know about the hand carry service and what it does? 

Artemis Aerospace shines a light on a little-known industry which provides vital assistance to businesses all over the world.

People flying to destinations at all points of the compass are frequently weighed down with baggage; holiday clothes, laptops, skis, children’s buggies, business products and samples . . . the list is endless.

In contrast, amongst the crowds weaving their way to the boarding gate, there are likely to be one or two people unencumbered by anything much more than their passport and one other item. Whatever the item is, it’s needed extremely urgently on the other side of the world and a hand carry courier is getting it there as fast as possible.

A hand-carry courier is employed for critical situations because it’s the fastest means of transport for logistical emergencies. The item is physically accompanied to ensure immediate delivery as well as maximum security.

A vitally important scanner at an Australian hospital has broken down and needs a part which can only be sourced from the UK. An American vehicle production line is in danger of grinding to a halt without a replacement component from Germany, resulting in missed shipments and global supply chain issues. A hard drive with a master copy of sensitive legal information can’t be sent digitally for confidentiality reasons. Groundbreaking medical trial compounds with a limited lifespan need to be on the other side of the world before they become unstable. These are all situations in which the services of a hand-carry courier can bypass lengthy customs checks, catch time-critical connecting flights and potentially save a business from disaster.

Airport codes: how are they selected?

Photo by Guilherme Rossi

Have you ever seen the luggage label on your suitcase and wondered how those three letters were chosen? In this article, Artemis Aerospace investigates how the codes came about and the history behind some of the more unexpected ones.

Your suitcase has set off down the conveyor belt sporting a label marked LAX or SYD or JNB, and that’s where you hope both you and it will end up. These three letters are the code for the destination airport, and like all codes they can be a bit of a mystery until you look at the logic – or in some cases apparent lack of it - behind it.

Airport coding began in the 1930s in the United States, when pilots found it a convenient way to identify locations. Air travel was growing exponentially – according to statistics from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the number of commercial aeroplane travellers rose from 6,000 in 1930 to 1.2 million by 1938.

Initially, a two-letter code for identifying cities was adopted from the National Weather Service (NWS), but not all cities had a NWS identity and the growth of new airports made this unpractical. In addition, only using two letters meant that available combinations soon ran out.

Airports began to choose their own three-letter identities, which allowed for a total of 17,576 permutations, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the system we know today came into being.

Regulated by Montreal-based IATA, the International Air Transport Association, the unique code for every airport is published twice a year in the IATA Airline Coding Directory. In addition to airports, IATA codes are also given to ferry, train, bus and helicopter terminals that share ticketing and baggage transfers with airlines. Their use is vital to the smooth running of the airline industry, which relies on the codes for booking, baggage handling, passenger and freight movement.

As well as IATA versions, there is another code type which is defined by ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization. These codes are separate from IATA codes, consist of four letters and are the international standard for operations between air traffic service providers, such as air traffic controllers. They are used for flight plans and are usually the ones you will see on flight tracking apps.

The typical business or leisure traveller will therefore be more familiar with the IATA codes. There are a number of different ways in which these codes are chosen, some of which are obvious and some which need a bit of research into the history of the airport.

The easiest codes to decipher are those named directly after the city, for example SYD for Sydney or NAP for Naples. Others feature a combination of letters from the name, such as AHN for Athens or BCN for Barcelona.

Image by Roberto Bellasio from Pixabay 

Many large cities will have several airports which means that some assignations may not be straightforward. For example, if you’re flying to New York, there are three major airports, John F Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty International (EWR). The first two are self-explanatory, but where does EWR come from? In America, all codes starting with N are reserved for use by the US Navy, so three other letters from ‘Newark’ were picked, and as ‘Liberty’ was added to the name in 2002 to pay tribute to the victims of United Airlines Flight 93, it doesn’t figure in the designation at all.

A day in the life of luggage: how hold bags arrive at the correct airport

When you check-in, your luggage embarks on its own journey to your final destination. While there’s possibly some anxiety around whether your bags will make it to the same airport as you, the logistics of luggage handling has become a well-oiled machine that has been refined over decades. 

Here, Artemis Aerospace takes us through the carefully synchronised stages which ensure you are safely reunited with your belongings at the other end.

You’ve arrived at the airport, checked in your hold baggage and it has disappeared down the conveyor belt; you can now head for the café, indulge in some retail therapy or open your laptop and get on with your work. But as you order your flat white, your suitcase is setting off on a complex but tightly choreographed progression which will end in your reunion at the baggage reclaim belt.



Once your case has vanished from view, it enters the fully-automated handling system and passes through the baggage security screening machine, which is about twice the size of the hand luggage scanner, and a vital cog in the process of keeping everyone on board safe. Security officers calculate the density of scanned objects in their search for contraband and, although these machines can’t work out specifically what every item is, they will detect both metallic and non-metallic objects, and also most organic materials, including food items. The scanner will identify a suspicious package with a red light, whilst a white light indicates further inspection is needed. Your case, of course, sails through the green light and on its way.



Baggage is tagged, usually with a barcode, and sorted according to whether it’s early for the flight, on time or, in some circumstances, whether it’s just missed it. Early Baggage Storage (EBS) systems allow passenger bags to be checked in well before the flight; some also enable users to track the identity and location of any bag at all times. This largely removes the possibility of lost luggage and can also allow accurate removal from the process if necessary.



Although the sophistication of baggage handling systems varies considerably from airport to airport, they can detect and manage any blockages in the system, regulate the flow of bags according to demand, and even align and rotate bags if necessary to ensure smooth passage.

Seven unusual jobs in the field of aviation.

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

Ask someone to name a job in aviation and their likely answer would be ‘airline pilot’ or ‘flight attendant’. Yet there are many diverse careers in the aviation industry, ranging from critical safety roles to ultra-niche stunt performers. Artemis Aerospace spotlights seven unusual jobs in the field of aviation.

Aviation is big business. It’s estimated the industry supports over 10 million jobs worldwide, generating billions of pounds of GDP. Although badly hit by the pandemic, aviation is recovering well, with passenger numbers climbing back towards 2019 levels. Commercial pilots and cabin crew are busy again, but so are many other industry professionals. Here are seven surprising aviation jobs you might never have heard of…

Wildlife survey pilot

Fancy a spot of low altitude flying? Wildlife survey pilots get to fly close to ground level day in, day out, piloting conservationists and biologists as they conduct studies of wildlife and habitats. Aerial surveys are carried out over oceans, too, offering these pilots some of the most spectacular views imaginable. Within this niche profession is another category: polar pilots. These airmen and women fly above glaciers and icebergs, helping environmental scientists monitor the terrain for research purposes.

Skytyper

You’re probably familiar with the concept of skywriting, but have you heard of skytyping? As an advertising technique, skywriting dates back to the early days of aviation. Hugely popular in the 1920s, messages were ‘written’ into the sky by aircraft whose exhausts are primed to release smoke. Pilots with skywriting skills can still be hired today, however a more sophisticated (if expensive) technique has been developed: skytyping. Five aircraft are needed to release smoke dots into the sky at approximately 12,000 feet. The dots join up to create an accurately ‘typed’ message that can be visible to millions of people on the ground. Messages can last several minutes depending on wind conditions. Banned in the UK until 2020 due to safety concerns, skytyping is popular in many countries around the world, with prices starting at $25,000 for a single message. That’s a pretty astonishing way to blow a fortune!

Interior designer

Seven weird and wonderful careers in aviation

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

Ask someone to name a job in aviation and their likely answer would be ‘airline pilot’ or ‘flight attendant’. Yet there are many diverse careers in the aviation industry, ranging from critical safety roles to ultra-niche stunt performers. Artemis Aerospace spotlights seven unusual jobs in the field of aviation.

Aviation is big business. It’s estimated the industry supports over 10 million jobs worldwide, generating billions of pounds of GDP. Although badly hit by the pandemic, aviation is recovering well, with passenger numbers climbing back towards 2019 levels. Commercial pilots and cabin crew are busy again, but so are many other industry professionals. Here are seven surprising aviation jobs you might never have heard of…

Wildlife survey pilot

Fancy a spot of low altitude flying? Wildlife survey pilots get to fly close to ground level day in, day out, piloting conservationists and biologists as they conduct studies of wildlife and habitats. Aerial surveys are carried out over oceans, too, offering these pilots some of the most spectacular views imaginable. Within this niche profession is another category: polar pilots. These airmen and women fly above glaciers and icebergs, helping environmental scientists monitor the terrain for research purposes.

Skytyper

You’re probably familiar with the concept of skywriting, but have you heard of skytyping? As an advertising technique, skywriting dates back to the early days of aviation. Hugely popular in the 1920s, messages were ‘written’ into the sky by aircraft whose exhausts are primed to release smoke. Pilots with skywriting skills can still be hired today, however a more sophisticated (if expensive) technique has been developed: skytyping. Five aircraft are needed to release smoke dots into the sky at approximately 12,000 feet. The dots join up to create an accurately ‘typed’ message that can be visible to millions of people on the ground. Messages can last several minutes depending on wind conditions. Banned in the UK until 2020 due to safety concerns, skytyping is popular in many countries around the world, with prices starting at $25,000 for a single message. That’s a pretty astonishing way to blow a fortune!

Interior designer

A collaboration between Emirates Group and Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy builds diplomatic capacity in the UAE aviation sector

The Emirates Group and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) are set to collaborate in the launch of a training programme for the airline’s Emirati Country Managers. The innovative programme is designed to enhance the diplomatic skills of managers who are stationed around the world, and forms part of the Group’s new Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme.

A ceremony to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held at the Emirates Group headquarters, attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, and Member of the Board of Trustees at AGDA, along with senior executives and representatives of both organisations. The MoU was signed by Amira Al Falasi, Emirates Group’s Vice president, Human Resources, Learning and Talent, and Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, AGDA’s Deputy Director General.

The AGDA’s 5-day programme will provide Emirati Country Managers with a comprehensive understanding of the diplomatic skills needed to effectively represent the Emirates Group abroad, and to achieve their business and commercial objectives. The series of tailored and practical training courses will also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange to enrich Emirati managers’ capabilities in the aviation sector.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed said, “The Emirates Group is a global company based in Dubai. We are proud to represent the UAE’s aviation sector and we work to promote the UAE in all the markets in which we operate. In AGDA we have found a like-minded partner, and we believe our collaboration will further develop and empower our team of Emirati managers to represent our brand across the world. It will enable them to promote more effectively the values and opportunities of the UAE throughout our global network.”

Five crazy items people leave behind on planes

Wallets, mobile phones, Kindles, reading glasses - it’s no surprise that everyday items are sometimes left behind when passengers disembark aircraft. Flight attendants and cleaners scour the empty cabin for neglected items after every flight, passing them on to lost property depots where they are generally held for three months. But, as well as the predictable lost property, airline staff also make some astonishing discoveries. Deborah Scott, co-owner at Artemis Aerospace, explores some of the bizarre items that passengers somehow forgot to gather up in the rush to reach their final destination…

	Passports Despite the fact that this is the number one item you need to exit the airport, an amazing number of travellers leave their passports behind, often tucked into the seat-back pocket.  Most flyers realise within minutes they’ve left this vital document behind, and with luck, ground staff will be able to contact cabin crew or cleaners before the aircraft is locked. If the passport can’t be retrieved immediately, prepare for difficult conversations at immigration. Emergency documentation can be issued, but the process is likely to take some time. Egyptian artefacts The Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottboro, Alabama, reported an Egyptian burial mask and mummified falcon found in an old Gucci suitcase. The Center has also received a Rolex watch valued at $64,000, an eighteenth-century violin, a live rattlesnake and a Barbie doll stuffed with $500 of rolled bills.  Top secret documents One retired BA purser vividly remembers a 1970s flight when he found a dossier of classified government information in a seat pocket of the first-class cabin. The documents belonged to a government minister who had enjoyed a drink or three during his journey. Fortunately, the minister was still on the tarmac being greeted by local dignitaries when the discovery was made, and the purser was able to return the dossier (unopened!). Dentures Flight attendants are mystified when they find false teeth left behind in the cabin. It’s hard to imagine how passengers can fail to realise their teeth are missing but, according to a Skyscanner survey, this oversight is not as rare as we might imagine. The survey findings also reported a left-behind trombone, canvas painting and top hat! A baby Admittedly, the unfortunate baby in question was left behind at an airport rather than on the aircraft. The incident made global headlines in March 2019 when a Malaysia-bound plane was reported to have turned back to Saudi Arabia after a passenger told cabin crew she’d left her baby behind at the terminal. Air traffic controllers agreed the plane could be turned around and the woman was reunited with her child.  Sources: Craziest Things Left Behind at Airports | Reader's Digest (rd.com) These Are The 21 Weirdest Things Ever Left On Planes (onlyinyourstate.com) How it Works | Unclaimed Baggage | You Never Know What You'll Find From wedding rings to false teeth, we reveal the bizarre items left on planes | Skyscanner's Travel Blog Saudi plane turns around after mother forgets baby at airport | Air transport | The Guardian

How to cure a fear of flying – six tips for stress free travel

It’s well known that airline travel is safer than travelling by car, yet fear of flying - or aviophobia - remains one of the most common phobias of modern life, believed to affect around one in ten of the population. André Viljoen, former commercial airline pilot and logistics manager at Artemis Aerospace, offers some positive advice to help beat anxiety when you next board an aircraft.

As a former commercial pilot, it wasn’t unusual to hear of passengers experiencing anxiety or panic attacks during a flight. While cabin crew are trained to calm and reassure passengers, it can be a distressing experience for the sufferer, and unsettling for fellow travellers.

Most of us know that fear of flying is irrational. Statistics consistently reveal that air travel is far safer than other modes of transport. Latest figures from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) reveal 2.14 accidents per 1.93 million global scheduled departures in 2021, resulting in 104 fatalities. Secretary General of the ICAO, Juan Carlos Salazar, said the statistics confirmed yet again that ‘air transport is the safest mode of transport.’ 

Compare this to road travel, where in Britain alone there were 927 road users killed in 2021, with over 65,000 people suffering injuries in road traffic accidents. Globally, more than 1.35 million people die in road accidents every year.

Statistics aside, there’s something about air travel that continues to unnerve passengers. Perhaps it’s the claustrophobia of the cabin, underlying anxiety about journeying a long way from home, or even the in-flight safety demonstration that tips people over the edge.

So, what can be done to address this very real problem? These six practical strategies are proven to help people reduce the fear associated with flying.

Exposure-based techniques

Seven weird and wonderful careers in aviation

Ask someone to name a job in aviation and their likely answer would be 'airline pilot' or 'flight attendant'. Yet there are many diverse careers in the aviation industry, ranging from critical safety roles to ultra-niche stunt performers. Artemis Aerospace spotlights seven unusual jobs in the field of aviation.

 Aviation is big business. It's estimated the industry supports over 10 million jobs worldwide, generating billions of pounds of GDP. Although badly hit by the pandemic, aviation is recovering well, with passenger numbers climbing back towards 2019 levels. Commercial pilots and cabin crew are busy again, but so are many other industry professionals. Here are seven surprising aviation jobs you might never have heard of…

1.  Wildlife survey pilot

Fancy a spot of low-altitude flying? Wildlife survey pilots get to fly close to ground level day in, day out, piloting conservationists and biologists as they conduct studies of wildlife and habitats. Aerial surveys are carried out over oceans, too, offering these pilots some of the most spectacular views imaginable. Within this niche profession is another category: polar pilots. These airmen and women fly above glaciers and icebergs, helping environmental scientists monitor the terrain for research purposes.

2.  Skytyper

You're probably familiar with the concept of skywriting, but have you heard of skytyping? As an advertising technique, skywriting dates back to the early days of aviation. Hugely popular in the 1920s, messages were 'written' into the sky by aircraft whose exhausts are primed to release smoke. Pilots with skywriting skills can still be hired today, however a more sophisticated (if expensive) technique has been developed: skytyping. Five aircraft are needed to release smoke dots into the sky at approximately 12,000 feet. The dots join up to create an accurately 'typed' message that can be visible to millions of people on the ground. Messages can last several minutes depending on wind conditions. Banned in the UK until 2020 due to safety concerns, skytyping is popular in many countries around the world, with prices starting at $25,000 for a single message. That's a pretty astonishing way to blow a fortune!

Four key times private aircraft were put to good use.

After it was reported that a stream of celebrities were hopping on and off private jets for journeys taking less than 15 minutes, there has been much controversy around the impact of business jets on the environment.

While utilising jets in this way is undoubtedly extravagant, business jets are also being used as a crucial contributor for many worthy causes. Here, Deborah Scott, finance director of component supply specialist Artemis Aerospace, reveals four times that private jets were put to good use.

Delivering essential medical equipment

During the pandemic, many countries lacked the medical resources and critical means to care for COVID-19 patients. Global air cargo carriers were under mounting pressure, with IATA estimating that they were oversubscribed by 30%.

To alleviate this pressure, a number of private jet companies turned their attention to supporting international COVID-19 response efforts by transporting tonnes of medical equipment, including face masks, PPE and medicines, to destinations in need of assistance.

One such company was Vimana Private Jets, which delivered more than 300 tonnes of medical resources between March and July 2020.

Artemis Aerospace: Four times private jets were put to good use

After it was reported that a stream of celebrities were hopping on and off private jets for journeys taking less than 15 minutes, there has been much controversy around the impact of business jets on the environment. While utilising jets in this way is undoubtedly extravagant, business jets are also being used as a crucial contributor for many worthy causes. Here, Deborah Scott, finance director of component supply specialist Artemis Aerospace, reveals four times that private jets were put to good use.

Delivering essential medical equipment

During the pandemic, many countries lacked the medical resources and critical means to care for COVID-19 patients. Global air cargo carriers were under mounting pressure, with IATA estimating that they were oversubscribed by 30%.

To alleviate this pressure, a number of private jet companies turned their attention to supporting international COVID-19 response efforts by transporting tonnes of medical equipment, including face masks, PPE and medicines, to destinations in need of assistance.

One such company was Vimana Private Jets, which delivered more than 300 tonnes of medical resources between March and July 2020.

The most common misconceptions about aircraft safety

Photo Artemis Aerospace

Over the years, there have been many myths and misconceptions about the safety of air travel. From toilet waste being discarded mid-air to where the safest seats are on board, André Viljoen, former commercial airline pilot and logistics manager at component supply specialist Artemis Aerospace, settles some of the most common misunderstandings.

Turbulence can cause an aircraft to crash

Turbulence is a common occurrence when travelling by air and something that every pilot and passenger will encounter at some point.

While turbulence can be nerve-wracking and, at times, downright unpleasant, it is highly unlikely that it will bring down an aircraft. Aircraft are designed to withstand difficult conditions, including strong winds and lightning strikes.

The most likely situation in the event of aircraft turbulence is passengers experiencing a minor injury because they weren’t seated or strapped in at the time of the incident. To avoid this, it is recommended that passengers keep their seatbelt fastened while sitting down.

If an engine fails, the plane will crash

No passenger wants to hear the news that an engine has failed. However, the majority of commercial airlines use twin-engine aeroplanes, which are designed to take-off, fly and land safely on one engine.

In the unlikely event an engine fails, rest assured that all pilots are trained extensively and regularly to deal with the situation and will return immediately to the nearest airport.

The safest seats on the aircraft are …

The truth is, there is no such thing as ‘the safest seat on an aircraft’. However, based on crash statistics and the associated survival rates of passengers, there are suggestions that certain seats, like those located at the back of the aircraft, are safer than others.

If turbulence concerns you, then sitting over the wings or towards the front of the aircraft will be less bouncy compared to the back.

The most important thing to note is that the chances of being in a crash are extremely low – around 1 in 20 million, while the chances of dying are a tiny 1 in 3.37 billion.

Cabin air causes illness

If you’ve ever been on a flight and fallen ill shortly afterwards with cold or flu-like symptoms, it is easy to assume that the cause was sitting in an aircraft cabin breathing circulated air.

However, there is no evidence to prove that aircraft cabin air recirculation increases the risk of illness for anyone on board a flight.

It is worthwhile remembering that viruses, like flu, are most likely to pass through direct contact, such as touching hands with or being in close proximity of an infected person. Viruses will generally stay active longer on hard surfaces, so washing your hands regularly is the best way to help prevent the spread of such diseases.

 

Oxygen masks are bad news

Oxygen masks are an essential safety requirement for all aircraft. Commercial aircraft travel at high altitudes, so this means cabins have to be pressurised so that passengers can breathe. In the event the cabin pressure fails, the emergency masks will provide life-saving oxygen to those on board.

If oxygen masks are required, pilots have been extensively trained to deal with the situation and will conduct an immediate emergency decent to an altitude of 10,000 feet where oxygen will not be needed.

The number of times oxygen masks have been deployed on flights is minimal and many are accidental. In fact, the figure is so low that the infrequency would mean any statistic related to oxygen masks would be deemed invalid. Put simply – it is extremely unlikely for a passenger to experience a situation that requires an oxygen mask.

Toilet waste is thrown out the aircraft

All toilet waste on commercial aircraft is deposited into a holding tank. Waste will be stored there until the aircraft lands, where ground staff will safely empty the contents.

While there is a possibility that an aircraft might leak frozen sewage (referred to as ‘blue ice’), airlines are forbidden from dropping waste while in air and there is no button or equipment for any of the crew to attempt this.

Doors can be opened mid-flight

Despite what some of the action-packed Hollywood movies might suggest, opening an aircraft door mid-flight is simply impossible. This is because aircraft cabins are pressurised. At a typical cruising altitude, up to 3.5kg of pressure is pushing against every square inch of the door. This equates to more than 500kg in total - far more weight than anyone could ever overcome.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/flight-plan/busting-myths-about-the-risks-aircraft-face-while-in-the-air/article29820877.ece

https://simpleflying.com/flying-10-myths-guide/

https://simpleflying.com/can-aircraft-doors-be-opened-in-flight/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/expert-answers/infectious-disease/faq-20057907

https://flightdelaypay.com/emergency-oxygen-what-you-need-to-know/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/20/aeroplane-toilets-how-concerned-should-we-be-about-the-chance-of-airborne-sewage