Am I safe to fly right now?

Posted by twowheelzzz@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 13 comments

Im sorry for the emotional title. But I’ve always been super afraid of flying. I recently booked a flight across country that is 5 hours each way.

Given the recent planes going down/crashing and our current administrations cuts to the FAA, should I be worried at all for my safety, or am I just buying into the scare?

Objectively speaking, I just want to know whether it’s a bad time to fly or if I have nothing to worry about.

Please don’t judge me. I’m mainly wondering if I should cancel my flight and eat the cost of the plane ticket.

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SignificantDrawer374@reddit

You're still far far far more likely to be injured on the way to the airport than on the plane.

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18_USC_47@reddit

OP is a motorcyclist. They have far far bigger statistical risks than flying.

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18_USC_47@reddit

Np-me, also a motorcyclist.
Ride safe!

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pomonamike@reddit

My wife grew up in Hollywood ER (her mom was the director) and when were dating she told me there were two things we could never have in the house: motorcycles and guns.

So now all my guns are in a big safe in someone else’s garage, and my dad’s old Triumph was quickly sold.

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pomonamike@reddit

I just flew around SoCal in a little 150 piloted by a 17 year old High School student of mine.

You’ll be fine.

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I have no direct knowledge but feel like the recent FAA firings may gradually degrade our flying safety if we truly end up understaffed. But even then the effect would be small and take a long time to play out.

In the immediate term I have no hesitation to fly. It might have gone from 99.999% safe to 99.998% safe.

We have a long distance Amtrak strip planned in a few weeks. If I wanted to worry about something I’d worry more about that. Really old gear. Questionably maintained tracks. Under funded.

Still not worried :-).

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GuyHamburgers@reddit

Flew about 10,000 miles yesterday from New Zealand to the US with no issues at all.

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Raptors887@reddit

You’re lucky to still be alive after such a risky endeavor.

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Substantial_Tap_2493@reddit

Touch grass. Turn off the TV. Disconnect from the internet.

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BrewCityChaserV2@reddit

Yes.

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awajitoka@reddit

Turn off the TV and live your life.

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Kanyiko@reddit

Just for a matter of statistics: in the USA, there's a daily average of 14000 scheduled flights carrying 2.5 million passengers per day.

The number of fatal accidents in the US involving airliners was 2 - in the past 15 years. So two fatal accidents in roughly 750 million flights.

So the chances of you getting involved in a fatal airliner accident are more or less the same as getting a Jesus toast served at a diner in the morning, winning the mega-lottery at noon, and finding a gold bar on the street in the afternoon.

Of course, if all of those three happen in the same day to you, you might have reason to get a bit nervous to take that flight.

But other than that, the chances of getting hit by a car while crossing the street, or getting killed while driving a car are infinitely higher.