Stephanie Heath
If you are anything like me, flying isn’t your favorite activity. Hollywood films and shows often show the terrifying events that can happen on a plane, but that’s just in the movies, right? As it turns out, these four terrifying airplane issues happen a lot more than you think.
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The Details: Dr. Guido Carim Junior, a lecturer in aviation at Griffith University in Australia, shared some of the most common airplane issues that can occur.
- These four issues, while terrifying for passengers, are not typically tragic.
- These four issues are: engine failure, landing gear or brake issues, loss of pressure, and flight control issues.
- Keep in mind that pilots are trained and equipped to handle all of the situations mentioned above.
One Of The Most Terrifying Airplane Issues That Happens More Often Than You Think
Let’s start with the most harrowing, shall we? I would assume everyone’s biggest fear while in the air is engine failure. After all, in all of the Hollywood films, that’s typically what causes the plane to crash and burn to the ground. In a piece for The Conversation, Dr. Junior speaks on the issue.
First, he points out that aircraft are equipped with two engines. If one should fail, the other should have enough thrust to push the plane to a safe destination. You may be wondering, but what if both fail? If that does happen, “the plane enters a glide and needs to descend to maintain forward airspeed and keep it from falling from the sky.”
After identifying the issue with the engine, pilots have an entire checklist of safety protocols to work through to get them safely back on the ground.
Second On The List
Next on our list of terrifying airplane issues, we have landing gear and brake malfunctions. I mean, come on, sometimes landing the plane is the scariest part. Unfortunatley, it is relatively common for issues to arise during that time. The wheels and brakes are designed to slow down the speed of the aircraft when landing after touchdown.
- The Daily Mail shares, “However, sometimes landing gear doesn’t extend or retract properly, or the braking system suffers the loss of a crucial hydraulic system.”
If this is the case, the pilot will instruct you to brace for impact. Additionally, they may use the thrust to slow the aircraft down if the brakes are having issues.
Another Common Airplane Issue
Next on our list, we have loss of pressure. You know the thing that the flight attendants warn you about when the masks drop from the ceiling?
- Daily Mail shares that “Commercial planes generally fly above the clouds at altitudes around 36,000 feet — an area of very low air pressure.”
So, if the pressure inside the cabin changes, that can be awful for passengers. If the air pressure inside the cabin drops, masks will drop from the ceiling, ensuring passengers have adequate oxygen. Additionally, the pilot will begin to descend the plane lower to help stabilize pressure.
Last But Not Least
Finally, last but not least on our list of airplane issues that happen more often than you think, we have faulty flight controls. Dr. Junior explains that a lot of the flight is controlled electronically.
- Including “the rudder at the back of the aircraft and the ailerons at the end of the wings.”
- Both of these things control the direction in which the plane flies.
So, what happens when there is a technical issue? Dr. Junior offers some peace of mind, sharing that a warning system would immediately go off. Also, he shared that planes are designed to stay airborne if one control fails. This allows pilots the time to devise a plan to land the plane safely.
Are you still keen on flying after learning these common terrifying airplane issues?
