Terror in the Skies - Channel 4

[Kenmo1]

I knew it was a mistake to watch this programme tonight - I know why I hate flying and this programme has made me realise that I will avoid flying at all costs. Thank goodness we enjoy cruising. Did anyone else watch it and has it put you off flying.

[Andrea S]

As much as I love cruising I am far more nervous of being at sea than I am when flying.

My faith is in the Captain / Pilot , presuming they would never knowingly start a journey with a faulty vehicle. Plains like cruise ships are in constant use and must suffer wear and tear.

I am a regular flyer and enjoy the fact I am going somewhere nice but I do admit that any fears I ever have are the taking off with a full load of fuel.

The one place I don't feel safe is travelling on motorways. I am truly a nervous wreck and that is as a passenger.

[Onelife]

Hi Kenmo1

I’ve been an avid viewer of the Air Crash Investigations series (National Geographic Channel) for some time now. Once you put the “there for the grace of god bits aside” the program makes interesting viewing and gives a greater understanding as to how they go about solving the circumstances which lead to such tragedies.

Not that it is any consolation for the victims and families of such accidents but there is no doubt air travel is safer today due to the information gained from these tragic events.

I very much take the attitude “what will be will be” when it comes to flying but having watched many of these programs one becomes far more aware of the things that can go wrong, and when something dose go wrong you would like to think the person in the driving seat knows how to handle the situation he/she is faced with...however, what this program demonstrates to me is that no matter how technically advanced we build these planes the majority of plane crashes have some pilot error attached to them...which begs to question are pilots as advanced with their training as designers are with their technically advanced planes?

Regards

OL

[Kenmo1]

Hello Andrea and Onelife

We used to fly regularly and usually I coped quite well and enjoyed the flights but I think, perhaps, I have watched too many of these programmes and it starts to affect how you feel about things. We had a very bumpy trip back from Canada once and the girl next to me started hyperventilating which didn't do much for my nerves. The last flight we did back from San Francisco a couple of years ago was a split flight and because 3 people were taken ill on the plane and obviously had to be taken off the plane first, it meant that we had to race across the terminal at Frankfurt and only just made our connection. I said never again then. It is so civilised to get on at Southampton especially as we live on the Isle of Wight.

What horrified me on the programme last night was the fact that in some control towers at night (I don't think it applied to this country) there was only one controller on duty and if they fell asleep the pilots got no response from them and had to take a chance with their landing. Also, they were saying that with everything becoming 24 hour work, some maintenance workers were doing long shifts at a time when their responses are not at their best. I know a pilot wouldn't take a risk with a plane but not all problems show up that easily - in one case a washer hadn't been put back on a screw and the screw sheared off and hit the fuel tank.

I must stop watching this type of programme but, unfortunately, my husband loves anything to do with planes.

[Andrea S]

Good morning Kenmo.
I cannot believe that any person can put their hand up and say they have never had bad thoughts flash through their mind before travelling.

Like Onelife , I believe that these programmes show so much background work, especially investigations after a crash or malfunction. It amazes me how they can find that the problem was caused by just one screw or something similar.

I have had some bumby flights and aborted take off and landings but so far I have never experienced anything that has put me off flying.

The control tower with no one in charge is indeed scary but I would think there is a lot of human error that is never heard about due to other people taking control.

It will always amaze me that a plane with so much weight can get into the air , or that a cruise ship with thousands of passengers can actually stay a float.

No form of transport bothers my OH, but 7 visits to London and he cannot set foot on the London Eye. He has tried but something inside of him takes over.
.

[paultheeagle]

I don't like flying but I fly because it's a good way to get somewhere quickly.....I don't worry about such things as I firmly believe that it don't matter where or who you are, whatever you are doing and however you are travelling, when your time is up..your time is up...I am also quite certain in my own mind that everything that can be done to keep me safe has been done....We are very lucky in that respect especially in this country....You can't legislate for human error....Can You?

What does bother me occasionally is drivers on the motorway...some of them are complete lunatics and should be nowhere near a vehicle...The speed some of them go is utterly ridiculous especially in wet weather or fog......That streamlining thing some do is totally barmy and it ain't them that have the accidents...they just cause them.

[Onelife]

Not sure if it was in last week’s screening of “terror in the skies” or the week before that but it showed a pilot fast asleep at his controls...now that’s what I call scary!!.

[Andrea S]

Occasionally there has been reports that pilots have been taken away from their plane after other staff smelt alcohol. Drink driving at any time is bad, but very scary when in charge of a plane.

For most flights the automatic pilot is in use ( or so I believe) but my faith in the pilot to take control of any mishaps needs someone wide awake and completely sober.

[Silver_Shiney]

Occasionally there has been reports that pilots have been taken away from their plane after other staff smelt alcohol. Drink driving at any time is bad, but very scary when in charge of a plane.

For most flights the automatic pilot is in use ( or so I believe) but my faith in the pilot to take control of any mishaps needs someone wide awake and completely sober.

There used to be a rule - "eight hours from bottle to throttle". Of course, depending on the size of the bottle, eight hours may not be long enough....