Last updated on July 1st, 2011 at 08:03 am
I’m the sort of person who likes to keep their feet firmly on the ground. Not that I’m averse to taking risks, I just don’t like to travel by air or sea. Coming from a line of Royal Navy seamen I hoped in vain to have good sea legs. So, if you ever need me to go abroad it’ll be France as the first destination through the Channel Tunnel. I’d definitely change my right-hand drive car too especially if I venture into Paris as good left-hand drive car hire is essential.
I’ve heard all the stats about how air travel is statistically the safest way to travel; in much the same way as motorways are statistically the safest roads to drive on, but in both cases when things go wrong it’s usually more of a fatal situation. When it comes to air travel I’ve seen too many serious news stories of grave disasters and the more regularly reported instances where commercial airliner have to carry out emergency landings due to developing holes in their fuselage!
It’s not reported as often when it’s a freight aircraft that runs into difficulties. I know that this is also very important for our economy but I’d personally do some van hire and drive my goods to their destination instead. Yes, it is an untenable situation but please leave my nerves alone!
As recently as April 2011 a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Yuma, Arizona after a sudden drop in cabin pressure sent the oxygen masks falling. Passengers reported a metre-long crack running along the length of a ceiling panel revealing wiring and insulation.
Source
It wasn’t until the aeroplane landed that the 1.5m long gash where the roof had been ripped open midflight was seen by reporters and officials.
Source
Qantas, this time, and November 2010 saw a stricken Airbus A380 ‘superjumbo’ making a forced landing as a hole appeared in one of the engines followed by eruptions of fragments and debris. Just 15 short minutes after take-off, the incident occurred resulting in a quick touchdown in Singapore.
Source
October 2010 saw an American Airlines Boeing 757 out of Miami needing an immediate touchdown after part of a roof panel peeled away causing a sudden decompression. The aeroplane only spent 40 minutes in the air.
Source
May 7th 2010 and a cargo configured Boeing 747-400 bound for Istanbul after departing Shanghai touched down safely and then the hole in the underside was discovered by ground crew.
Source
July 2009. Southwest Airlines have yet another problem with one of their Boeing 737-300 aircraft. The company had not long been fined for inadequate pre and post flight inspections
Source
And finally… for now.
July 2008. Another Boeing 747-400 passenger aeroplane had to make a forced landing following a sudden appearance of a four metre long fissure in the fuselage just ahead of the starboard wing! A frightening experience made worse by the fact that it happened while at 30,000 feet. The Qantas flight managed to land with no serious physical injuries.
Source
And in close-up
Source
