Safety air Travel Tips

Since the first public demonstration of a hot air balloon in Annonay, France in 1783 the reality of man taking flight ...took flight. Throughout the history of first man's desire to fly then to the utilization of flight for mass transportation, the safety of air travel has been an ongoing goal. Where once safety was measured only in the ability to soar through the sky and live through weather and mechanical malfunctions, in more recent years safety has come to include protecting humans from the deeds of other humans.
Commercial Air Travel

Although commercial flights were flown on a small scale in 1913 and 1914, the use of airplanes for the transport of multiple civilians rose after WWI when airlines bought up the surplus military aircraft. But it wasn't until the postal service began fully using air travel for the delivery of mail that commercial airlines really took off, but they still could not profit off passengers alone as too many people worried about the safety of air travel. On May 20, 1926 the Air Commerce Act was passed due to the aviation industry's belief commercial flight would not progress without federal input and action to improve and uphold safety standards. This began the federal government's regulation of aviation, and in 1934 the Bureau of Air Commerce encouraged airlines to form the centers for Air Traffic Control.
Passenger Plane Accident Statistics

"There are two critical points in every aerial flight—its beginning and its end." This simple quote by Alexander Graham Bell in 1906 sums up the biggest mechanical safety fear of many passengers, take off and landing. Statistically, commercial flight still comes out safer than driving with an average of .05 fatal accidents versus 1.32 per 100 million miles traveled for on road vehicles. Yet, the actual fatalities are higher for flights at 1.57 percent to 1.47 due to the amount of passengers on a plane compared to a car. Mechanical failure is responsible for only 22 percent of fatal accidents in commercial flight, with the biggest factor being human error at 50 to 56 percent, with some statistics saying as high as 80 percent. Take off accidents account for 20 percent of fatal accidents and landing for 36 percent. Only 8 percent of flight accidents occur during the longest part of a flight while the airplane is actually cruising.
Terrorism and the Skies

Terrorism in the air is not a new safety concern nor is it exclusive to any one nationality. In 1955, Jack Gilbert Graham put a bomb in his mother's suitcase as she traveled from Denver to Portland, killing 44 people. The most common form of terrorism in the air is hijacking, a form of air piracy. The first recorded history of hijacking occurred in 1930 when Peruvian revolutionaries hijacked a Pan Am mail plane. In 1961, after a rash of incidents, President Kennedy signed legislation that gave hijackers the death penalty or 20 years in prison. Hijackings came in vicious spurts and in 1969 the FAA created a task force that developed a profile for hijackers that was used along with metal detectors to screen passengers. By 1973, inspection of luggage and passengers became mandatory. After the September 11, 2001 attacks in America, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act took airport security out of the hands of airlines and into the control of the United State government. The goal is to create a uniform system for all American flights.
What the passenger can do for their own safety

Passengers can take some responsibility for their own safety by following all airline and airport rules. One of the most important warnings is to never leave luggage unattended or carry luggage or items for other people. Submit to inspections gracefully while remembering these inspections are for our own safety. Wear clothing for comfort and safety instead of style. Natural fibers such as cotton are preferable as these do not melt into skin in situations of extreme heat or fire. Opt for clothing which protects your body instead of skimpy, short outfits. If traveling with children, consider buying them their own seat and have them keep their seat belt on at all times.
Private or General Aviation

General aviation statistically has a higher rate of fatalities than commercial flights. In fact the statistics show accidents for general or private aviation to be 50 percent higher than commercial air travel. Factors include over confidence or cocky attitudes of seasoned pilots who will often head out into dangerous or unstable weather and conditions. Safety measures such as not flying at night unless absolutely necessary and keeping planes in top mechanical repair are important towards improving safety. The TSA attempted to implement a plan forcing private jet companies and pilots to utilize similar safety measures as commercial flights --checking all passengers against watch lists and disallowing weapons on board. Yet, after complaints from private pilots and aviation groups and even opposition from Homeland Security, the plan must be re-written.
credit : http://traveltips.usatoday.com/safety-air-travel-16945.html