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opinionAlso in this section:
Bernal, Where is Panama headed? Sánchez, Hispaniola as a major drug smuggling hub Hill, Free trade and immigration Gutman, Hugo Chávez is a disgrace Shelton, A better plan for the canal's expansion E. Jackson, Troubles at the alma mater Sirias, The price of perfection
Airline safety --- Brazils' deadly questions by Clarence E. Pilgrim It was a horrific experience in Sao Paulo. Those who were lucky were able to flee for their lives as the Tam Airlines (Tam Linhas Aereas SA), apparently slid on the wet ill-prepared and inadequate runway after attempting to land. A futile attempt by the pilot to take off again to avoid plunging into a busy road only resulted in a fatal crash into a fuel depot and cargo warehouse. The impact caused an explosion which turned into a fiery inferno that consumed the 186 people aboard the Airbus 320 plane, and also took the lives of persons on the ground. This is Brazils' worst air disaster, and it is being remembered by three days of national mourning for the estimated 200 victims. Undoubtedly the search for answers as well as the assigning of blame will begin in earnest, for what is the worst loss of life in the international airline industry in 2007. But the elements which helped to create this disaster involving the chaos of the management of the Air Traffic Control system, the state of construction of the runaway and the delays and misdirection in taking decisive decisions, all play a part in what may involve many other variables in this difficult equation of human and technical error. Sao Paulo's airport is reported to accommodate around 18.5 million passengers a year. Investigators examining the cause(s) must divorce themselves from external influences to produce a credible document which not only Brazilian authorities can study, but the document should be made available for the entire airline industry around the world, to examine the strengths and weaknesses contained in this terrible learning experience. What is quite clear is that specific problems did not develop overnight and appears to have been long in coming. Logically, there is the need to change certain processes urgently. Unfortunately there probably will not be an overwhelming stampede to effect changes immediately, particularly with the existence of a bureaucratic structure. It is important to remember that a federal court briefly banned three types of large jets --- the Fokker 100, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-700 --- from using the airport because of fears that the airport was too close to residential areas and its runways are too short. This disaster should demand our special attention, particularly since similar conditions for a future disaster may exist to a greater or lesser extent in the airports of other jurisdictions. Airline travelers deserve better. It is the responsibility of governments and the management of airlines, to ensure that adequate standards of safety and quality are put in place and are rigorously adhered to. These standards should never be allowed to be sacrificed on the altar of expediency, profiteering and corruption. Which passenger in their right mind would complain of too much security or be upset if a flight is delayed in the interest of making sure that the mechanical elements in a plane are safe or that the conditions within an airport is OK for a proper landing! In looking at the question of airline safety, I thought it would be interesting to look back in time at some of the worst airline disasters starting in 1987. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather a look at some of the worst crashes in a particular year. 1987: South African Airways 747 crashes off the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean; 160 killed. 1988: Iran Air A300 Airbus shot down by USS Vincennes over the Persian Gulf; 290 killed. 1994: Taiwanese airliner crashed at Nagoya airport, Japan. Some 264 killed in Japans second worst disaster. 1996: Saudi 747 collides shortly after takeoff with a Kazak Ilyushin-76 making its landing approach; 349 killed. 1997: A Korean Air Boeing 747 crashes near Guam Island; 228 killed. 1998: Swissair Flight 111 from New York to Geneva crashes off Nova Scotia; 229 killed. 1999: Egypt Air Boeing 767 crashes into Atlantic after taking off from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on flight to Cairo, Egypt; 217 killed. 2000: Alaska Airlines Flight 261 plunges into ocean off Southern California on flight from Mexico to San Francisco; 88 killed. 2001: An American Airlines flight and a United flight en route to Los Angeles from Boston crash into the World Trade Center after being hijacked; less than 3,000 dead and missing, including 157 on planes. 2002: A Boeing 747 belonging to Taiwan's national carrier - China Airlines - crashes into the sea near the Taiwanese island of Penghu, with 225 passengers and crew lost. 2003: Union des Transports Africains (UTA) 727-200; near Cotonou, Benin. The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, 140 people were killed. 2004: Flash Airlines 737-300; near Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The aircraft crashed into the Red Sea. All 135 passengers and 13 crew members were killed. 2005: Kam Air 737-200; near Kabul, Afghanistan. The aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain, killing all eight crew members and 96 passengers. 2006: A Russian Tupolev-154 passenger plane with 170 people on board crashes north of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. In terms of numbers of persons on an airplane, the worst crash in history occurred in 1985 when a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 crashed into a mountain killing 520 people. Before the crash, the plane lost a 15 foot (4.6 meters) section of its tail. It is my hope that the tragic experiences learned from the past will change and shape the future of aviation, for the safety of many other travelers. To the family and friends of the Tam Airlines victims, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and the hope that they find comfort and peace in the memories of their loved ones.
The author is an educator and civil servant in Antigua & Barbuda
Also in this section:
Bernal, Where is Panama headed? Sánchez, Hispaniola as a major drug smuggling hub Hill, Free trade and immigration Gutman, Hugo Chávez is a disgrace Shelton, A better plan for the canal's expansion E. Jackson, Troubles at the alma mater Sirias, The price of perfection Unclassified Ads | Calendar | Outdoors | Dining | Science | Sports | Español | Front Page Archives | Wappin' Radio Show | Just Music
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