Each of us has repeatedly wondered whether it is safe to fly a plane. According to world transport statistics, air traffic is the safest of all modes of transport. However, safety is affected by many factors, the main of which is the deterioration of the aircraft. There are various models of aircraft that differ significantly from each other, including in terms of safety. Based on these parameters, we will consider different types of airliners and find out which is the safest aircraft in the world, both among domestic and foreign design bureaus.
1
Boeing 777
The Boeing made its first wide-body airliner “Triple Seven”, or simply “Three Sevens”, its first flight in 1994, and in 1995 joined the service of mankind, serving long-distance airlines.
Over the entire operation period, no major plane crash has occurred with this model, and all 748 aircraft that are currently in operation have flown over 20 million hours.
But for the sake of justice, we note that there were several accidents, in one of which 3 people died. And 2014 was the most tragic for this model. So, in March, the Malaysian Airlines liner mysteriously disappeared, and in June a ship of the same company was shot down in the sky over the Donbass.
2
Airbus a340
The rating of safety aircraft continues Airbus A340 airliner, which has been produced since 1993. All machines of this model flew already 13.5 million hours.
Over the entire period of operation on board the A340, several accidents occurred related to fires, as well as the failure of the main systems. Not a single person was killed in the incidents, which is why the Airbus A340 is by far the safest passenger plane in the world today.
There is only one “but”, the aircraft requires expensive maintenance, which is why global companies are in no hurry to introduce the safest airliner into their fleet.
3
Airbus A330
The next airliner, designed to transport passengers over medium and long distances, can answer the question of whether to fly on airplanes.
Since 1993, in the history of world civil aviation, the A330 has established itself as a reliable and safe aircraft, and rightfully occupies an honorable 3rd place. All liners of this type have flown for more than 15 million hours.
Until 2008, this model led the safety rating. But in the last decade, due to the increased number of accidents, including with fatalities, the Airbus A330 has lost its leading position.
4
Boeing 747
The world's first long-range double-decker Jumbo Jet aircraft first flew in February 1969, and is still one of the most popular types of air transport.
For many years he held the lead as the largest and most spacious passenger airliner, until in 2005 he lost his leading position to the A380.
For all more than 40 years of operation and 18 million hours of flight of the 747 model, they have been involved in accidents 18 times, in which there were victims. Most of the accidents were due to the error of pilots or controllers, as well as due to difficult weather conditions. And the largest plane crash occurred in 1985, due to poor-quality repairs, which significantly reduced the reliability of the Boeing 747.
By the way, thebiggest.ru has a detailed article about the largest air crashes in history!
5
Boeing 737 NG
Beautiful and, as it turned out, reliable aircraft, they began to produce in 1997. Today, about 2,600 units of equipment are in operation, which have already flown 17 million hours.
Over the entire period of operation with the "Boeing 737 NG" there were three major plane crashes that claimed the lives of 277 passengers. Despite the accident, experts note that this is the most successful and safe model from the large 737 Boeing family.
A detailed analysis of the causes of disasters and accidents was carried out, and experts concluded that in this model, like other liners, the tail is the safest part.
6
Boeing 767
Another representative in the glorious American Boeing family, the liner under serial number 767 was launched into serial production at the very beginning of the 80s of the last century.
With this machine, over the course of 35 years of operation, one accident occurs for 15.5 million flight hours. A total of 15 liners were lost, and the total number of victims is 851 people.
Among international airlines, this model is popular, as it has proven itself on long-haul flights.
7
Airbus A320
Since 1988, this aircraft model has been actively used by airlines for the transport of passengers, and together with modified A321 aircraft and the base model A319, 3,600 aircraft are now in operation.
In the crash, 15 units were lost, and the largest accident claimed the lives of 199 people. In 2006, three cars burned down in the hangars of the Brussels Airport, and another three A320s crashed in the same year as a result of technical problems on board.
The most resonant catastrophe was the tragedy in the French Alps, when the co-pilot sent the airliner uphill, thus committing suicide with a large number of victims.
8
Boeing 757
This model has been produced since 1982, and today international and national airlines use 973 aircraft. It is worth noting the reliability of this type of aircraft, so out of 15 crashes, only three occurred due to technical problems.
It was the models of these aircraft that were captured by terrorists during the attack on New York on September 11, 2001. After that, the Boeing 757 security system was revised, and today fully meets international standards. The notorious tragedy occurred in the sky above Lake Constance when, due to a controller error, the Boeing 757 and Tu-154 collided.
9
Boeing 737 CFMI
American designers in the early 80s began the development of a fundamentally new model, and in 1984 the Boeing 737 CFMI took to the skies.
At the present stage, more than 1750 aircraft are in operation. Over the entire period, as a result of accidents and disasters, 174 pieces of equipment were lost. In these disasters, 3,835 people died.
In Russia, the largest plane crash with this type of aircraft occurred in Perm in 2008, as a result of which the plane crashed within the city. This airliner holds the lead in the number of seizures by terrorists; in the entire history of the liner's existence, this has happened 110 times.
10
McDonnell-Douglas MD-11
The wide-body, comfortable airliner of a well-known American company closes 10 safe and reliable aircraft. In 1990, it began to be mass-produced, and today about 180 cars are working in different parts of the world.
A fairly reliable model with high technical specifications has long been quite popular among airlines. For all the time, 10 cars were lost, and 185 people died in the catastrophes that happened with this type of aircraft.
In 2001, it was discontinued, giving way in the sky to improved and modern models of passenger airliners.
11
IL-86
The list of domestic airliners is opened by the first Soviet wide-body airbus of Ilyushin Design Bureau, which in NATO countries was nicknamed “Camber”, which means “Curved”.
The first release of the IL-86 began in the mid-70s, and in 2011 this model was removed from Russian production. Pretty safe car with high flight performance.
The model was actively used by the countries of the socialist camp. For all time, 4 cars were lost as a result of accidents, but there were much more incidents with this type of aircraft for various reasons.
12
Tu-154
All modifications of the Russian Tu-154 airliner are considered reliable and safe. Developed back in the 60s, it is still one of the most popular on Russian and international airlines.
Pilots still note that the design features of the aircraft require high professionalism and skill. But in extreme conditions, the machine easily copes with its tasks.
Altogether, for various reasons, 72 aircraft were lost, and the number of victims in all Tu-154 air crashes amounted to 3263 people.
Interesting facts from the history and safety of civil aviation:
- The first air crashes began to happen from the very beginning of the era of aeronautics, due to the imperfection of the first aircraft models.
- Which is safer, an airplane or a train? In transport, safety is calculated by the number of deaths per 160 million paths. So, on the railway, this figure is 0.9 people, on airliners 0.7 people.
- Many passengers wonder what are the safest places on the plane. In 2013, the magazine Popular Mechanics conducted research, and found out that the safest places on the plane are in its tail. So, now there should be no doubt where it is safer to sit when flying.
- The first seat belts in the history of transport appeared precisely in airplanes, and not in a car. Sitting in the tail of an airplane with a seat belt fastened greatly increases the likelihood of remaining unscathed during an accident.
Indeed, based on the data presented, we can safely say that airliners are the safest mode of transport. Flight safety in most cases depends on the professionalism of the pilots, the ingenuity of the flight attendants, as well as the passengers themselves.
Even the most reliable passenger plane in the world will not provide a safe flight if people are negligent in their work, because the sky does not forgive a frivolous attitude, cruelly punishing for mistakes and mistakes.
Article author: Valery Skiba