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Tag: safety

Why is there a spiral painted on aircraft engines?

We sometimes answer questions from our readers, but this one comes...from a seatmate. The other day, as I was getting ready to board, I saw a little boy pointing at a plane through the bay window and asking his...

No need to open bags at Amsterdam Schiphol screening

Happy future passengers passing through security checks at Amsterdam-Schiphol airport: they won't have to remove liquids and computers from their bags! All X-ray machines have been replaced by CT scans. These devices enable the contents of the bag to be...

What happens when a plane has an engine failure?

One of air travelers' worst fears is engine failure! What happens if an engine breaks down or catches fire? How are pilots dealing with the situation? We'll try to explain it all here. Engine failure is highly unlikely Without going into...

Is it compulsory to watch the safety instructions when flying?

It may seem a far-fetched question, but some people ask themselves: do we have to watch safety instructions and demonstrations on a plane? Or, put another way, can you be punished if you don't? The precedent: a couple deplaned by...

Air pockets, turbulence: why are we shaken up in flight?

Nobody likes to be shaken up in transport, and on planes even less than elsewhere. Many things can make a flight chaotic, and the discomfort of the situation is compounded by the fear that something could go wrong in...

Why are the lights dimmed during takeoff and landing at night?

Among the questions our readers frequently ask about flight routines, the one about why cabin lighting is dimmed during takeoff and landing is second only to the one about the need to raise the window blinds! Lights are not...

Not all masks are allowed on planes

Whether it is a legal obligation, a decision of the airline or a recommendation or directive of an international organization, the wearing of masks is now mandatory in airplanes for passengers and crew, with the exception of pilots once...

Do pilots have to wear a mask in the cockpit?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, or at least since more is known about the virus, the wearing of masks on airplanes has become the rule for passengers and staff. However, the rule is not as absolute as that...

How human errors are avoided in the cockpit: the role of CRM

For years it was thought that aviation safety was essentially a technical concept: with reliable aircraft and qualified pilots we would approach zero risk. And yet, in the 1970s, accidents continued to multiply as traffic grew, putting this belief...