Airplane safety is FAR safer than traveling by car, making us wonder why anyone would take a car when they could take a private air charter. Just a few statistics.
Private planes have a higher accident rate compared to commercial airlines, with general aviation experiencing approximately 1 fatal accident per 100,000 flight hours, while commercial aviation experiences roughly 0.03 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours.
To sum it up, private jets tend to be less bumpy than commercial airlines due to their smaller size, flexible routes, and fewer passengers. So, if you want to avoid feeling like a shaken soda can on your next flight, you might want to consider taking a private jet instead.
It is not as safe to fly private as commercial – There is a common misconception that because private planes are smaller and you do not have to go through standard TSA security procedures to board one, they are somehow less safe than commercial flights. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Private Plane Accident Facts
On private aviation craft, however, that ratio jumps to more than 2.3 fatalities per 100,000 hours flown. In other words, you are 200 times more likely to die while flying on a private plane than you are while flying on a commercial airliner.
Opposed to what you may have heard, every passenger, flight crew, and pilot needs to go through some level of security screening process before boarding a private airplane. However, the security screening process is often different from what you experience when traveling on a commercial airplane.
Those irregular motions in the atmosphere create air currents that can cause passengers on an airplane to experience annoying bumps during a flight, or it can be severe enough to throw an airplane out of control. "(The pilots) aren't scared at all. It's all a part of aviation," United Airlines pilot Rob Biddle said.
Private planes are up to 14 times more polluting, per passenger, than commercial planes and 50 times more polluting than trains, according to a report by Transport & Environment, a European clean transport campaign organisation.
One of the greatest benefits of private charter jets is the luxury and comfort they provide. Seating on private jets offers more legroom and reclining space than the seats in first class on a commercial flight, mostly because the average private jet seats less than 10 people.
The most common error is losing control of the plane. Other factors that can cause this type of accident are bad weather, lack of training, and mechanical failure.
By far, the most common cause of small aircraft accidents happens due to pilot error. Many small plane operators are “hobbyist” fliers. They don't fly for a living and, therefore, don't rack up a substantial flight time. Any misjudgment can result in tragedy.
The ability to fly at higher altitudes has some safety advantages over commercial jets. Commercial jets typically travel at 35,000 feet. Private jets typically operate around 41,000 feet but can fly at 45,000 feet or more. Traveling at higher altitudes means less turbulence and a more comfortable passenger experience.
After reading the preceding information in this article, it is obvious that air travel is the safest mode of transportation. Our aircraft dispatcher training center would like to point out that all of the professionals surrounding the industry are highly trained and happy to be part of this industry.
Private jets usually require far shorter runways and can use much smaller airports. This means that when you fly privately, you have access to around ten times the number of airports that commercial flights serve—both for departures and landings. These include more remote locations you may want to visit for a holiday.
In addition to wake turbulence, rough weather and winds can pose a bigger threat to smaller planes than large ones. Because of this, flying in a tiny aircraft is not as reliable as airliners that can more safely operate in severe weather conditions, like heavy rain, snow, and high winds.
While turbulence may be a bit more common on private jets, it's still not something that passengers need to worry about. In most cases, it is simply a minor inconvenience. Although private jets may encounter some turbulence during takeoff or landing, they rarely experience it during cruise at higher altitudes.
One of the greatest comforts of traveling in a private jet is the opportunity to sleep onboard without being disturbed. When you're in the air, however, you might be out of your comfort zone. There are sounds that you might not be used to, the air is dry, and the cabin pressure can make you feel different.
Cabin configurations can vary and some private owners include multiple bathrooms, with spa facilities and even a Turkish bath. But more often there is a toilet and shower available mid-cabin and, for more privacy, another ensuite attached to the VIP bedroom in the aft section of the aircraft.
While turbulence can feel scary, airplanes are designed to withstand massive amounts of it. "A plane cannot be flipped upside-down, thrown into a tailspin, or otherwise flung from the sky by even the mightiest gust or air pocket," wrote pilot Patrick Smith on his site, AskThePilot.com.
In a particularly turbulent storm, some may imagine that the wings bend so much, they could snap off. However that scenario is almost impossible. The entire aircraft is basically designed to allow the wings to bend in turbulence without compromising any structural integrity.
It's almost unheard of for turbulence to cause a crash, but it can lead to costly repairs for carriers. Usually, the damage is to cabin components like seats and overhead bins when luggage falls out or people hit them. Turbulence-related damage, delays and injuries cost airlines up to $500 million per year.
There's no federal law that prohibits in-flight photography.
The FAA in 14 C.F.R § 91.21 prohibits the use of portable electronic devices, including mobile phones, for all commercial flights and for those private flights being made under instrument flight rules (IFR).
A private pilot licence (PPL) or private pilot certificate is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration).