How a plane crashes determines the safest spot. If the nose hits the ground first, the front of the aircraft is a bad place to be; if the tail section goes down. passengers in the rear fare worse. But both the FAA and manufacturers like Boeing say that no conclusive studies have been conducted on the question. Nor is it clear whether sitting in an exit row improves one’s chances for survival.
Air quality and cabin pressure are the two biggest factors: in the 1980s, engineers discovered they could cut fuel consumption by recirculating cabin air. Since then, newer airplanes have been equipped with systems that provide more recirculated air and less fresh air. Proponents of the practice say that’s no problem; the air in plane cabins may even be fresher than that in many office buildings. But critics argue that it leads to health problems. ]‘he amount of carbon dioxide the FAA allows in airplane cabins is many times higher than normal, and when C02 levels get too high, people begin complaining of fatigue, headaches and drowsiness. The high altitude only makes matters worse; it creates reduced pressure in the cabin, which, in turn, makes the air inside thinner.
Probably only to your psyche. When lightning strikes an aircraft, it rarely does any damage, though passengers typically hear a tremendous explosion and see a bright flash. A small burn mark may appear on the outside of the plane. But lightning tends to seek objects that are grounded, not planes in the air.
Metal fatigue, or the cracking that results from repeated stress, is generally not an issue -even with older planes. FAA regulations dictate that planes must be overhauled every three to four years and retrofitted with the safety features of new planes. So checking a plane’s vintage may not tell you much about its air worthiness. More important are the conditions in which the plane flies. Experts said a 1988 accident involving an Aloha Airlines plane en route to Hawaii was caused by metal fatigue. The plane, which had repeatedly been exposed to salty, moist air, corroded with unusual speed-causing the roof to fly off in midair. One flight attendant died.
Basically, newer engines are quieter than older ones, And the farther removed the engines are from the cabin, the quieter it is for passengers. It’s possible to manufacture nearly soundproof planes. But in a quiet cabin, voices would carry the way they do in an auditorium. So some outside noise is deliberately allowed in to drown out the sound of conversation and dishes rattling.
Theoretically, devices like CD Players and laptop computers could interfere with a plane’s navigational system. The risk is much greater when planes are landing or taking off than when they are at cruising altitude. However, FAA officials say it’s still unclear whether electronic devices have contributed to a single case of interference at any altitude.
