The Top Five Events That Changed the Aviation Industry Forever

WITTON, England, September 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The long and illustrious history of the aviation industry has been littered with many trials and tribulations over the years that have tested companies to their limits and served as a catalyst for change. Here, component sourcing specialist Artemis Aerospace examines the events that had a significant impact on the industry and how they changed aviation forever.

The biggest air crash in the world

Fortunately, air accidents are extremely rare and air travel continues to be the safest means of transportation in the world. In fact, according to the NTSB, the odds of being on a commercial flight involved in a fatal accident are approximately 1 in 20 million, while the odds of dying are a tiny 1 in 3.37 billion.

The focus on safety in the aviation industry is paramount – pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers are all highly trained and dedicated to ensuring passenger safety.

However, in the early days of aviation, when flight was still in its infancy, accidents were much more common. In 1908, the first airplane passenger death was recorded when Lt. Thomas Selfridge died after a Wright Flyer, piloted by Orville Wrightcrashed during a test flight in Virginia, United States. It wasn’t until 1919 that the first commercial aircraft, a Caproni Ca.48, crashed at Verona killing everyone on board.

In 1977, the world’s deadliest air crash left a lasting legacy on international airline regulations and requirements.

The Tenerife airport disaster happened when two Boeing 747 jetliners collided on the runway at Los Rodeos airport, killing 583 people. Investigations revealed that the captain of one of the planes, operated by KLM, had mistakenly attempted to take off while a Pan Am flight was still taxiing on the runway.

The disaster highlighted the vital importance of using standardized terminology for all radio communications rather than colloquial expressions, such as ‘OK’, including a replay of key parts of the instruction to confirm mutual understanding.

The introduction of low cost airlines and package holidays

Budget air travel has transformed the aviation industry and has enabled many more people than ever before to be able to enjoy the experience of traveling overseas to distant destinations.

The first low-cost airline in the world was Southwest Airlines, created in 1967 by Herb Keller and King Rollin. In 1971, the TexasThe New York-based company began operating as an intrastate airline before launching regional interstate service in 1979. The business model used by Southwest laid the foundation for other no-frills carriers, including EasyJet and Ryanair.

Southwest’s philosophy was based on four principles that underpin the low-cost airline business model. These include flying just one type of aircraft, aiming to reduce year-on-year operating costs, get planes running as quickly as possible, and keep things simple by only selling seats on planes, instead of creating loyalty programs and similar add-ons.

Volcanic eruptions and British Airways Flight 009

The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption may be one of the most recent volcanic ash incidents resulting in the grounding of planes, but perhaps the most notorious is the 1982 volcanic ash cloud from Mount Galunggung in Jakarta. British Airways Flight 009 was forced to make an emergency landing after flying through the volcanic cloud, causing all four engines to shut down.

As a result, meteorologists leave nothing to chance and the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which was identified as an explosive gas eruption and therefore very dangerous, was considered a significant hazard to aircraft. Therefore, all flights to and from Europe and flights within the continent were canceled for seven days – the biggest disruption to air travel since World War II. IATA felt that the industry had lost $200 million for each day the airspace in Europe was closed.

September 11th

The September 11th the terrorist attacks in the United States have had a profound impact on the commercial airline industry, which has long prided itself on passenger safety and security.

After nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners in the United States, the attackers – who included people trained in flight to take over and control the plane – crashed the planes at important American sites, including the World Trade Center in New York City and the headquarters of the US military, the Pentagon in Virginia.

The attacks claimed the lives of 2,977 people and remain the world’s deadliest in history.

As a result, global aircraft security has been significantly enhanced for airport screening and cockpit security.

In the United States, it was possible before the attacks for anyone without a ticket to accompany family and friends through security to the gate. This was immediately changed and only passengers with tickets can now pass through security until departures.

Some airlines had allowed passengers to carry small knives on board. In the case of 9/11, three of the hijackers set off the metal detectors during the security check. Although they were scanned with a hand-held detector, they were allowed to pass. Footage later showed they had what appeared to be box cutters strapped to their back pockets – something that was allowed on some aircraft at the time. Since then, many airports have installed full body scanners to detect hidden weapons and explosives with millimeter precision.

Identity checks have also been overhauled and passengers traveling on domestic flights now need a valid photo ID to travel.

Covid-19 pandemic

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact on the aviation industry. For the first time in history, planes around the world have been permanently grounded indefinitely. Huge losses followed for the commercial airline industry and hundreds of employees were laid off or furloughed.

As air travel gradually returns to pre-2019 levels, the consequences for the commercial aviation industry have been felt everywhere and many challenges now lie ahead.

However, not all changes have been detrimental and the industry, more adaptable than ever, has fully embraced new technologies and features to make passenger travel simpler, safer and more enjoyable. These include the use of facial recognition at security and customs and the use of apps, not just for ticketing, but for a whole host of other experiences, including airport shopping and shopping. in-flight entertainment.

Website: www.artemisaerospace.com

Sources

https://flyfright.com/statistics/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_security_repercussions_due_to_the_September_11_attacks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_009
https://simpleflying.com/eyjafjallajokull-eruption-on-aviation/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_eruptions_of_Eyjafjallaj%C3%B6kull
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/the-future-of-flying-is-going-high-tech-due-to-coronavirus-cvd

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SOURCE Artemis Aerospace