A lot of people are scared to fly. Maybe you are too. I totally get it. My last flight was horror.
You’re sitting in a seat, high in the sky, with no control. You hear every sound, you feel every bump, and your brain starts asking, “What if something happens?”
That’s normal.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
Flying is actually the safest way to travel.
It’s not just something people say to make you feel better. It’s a fact. It’s math. Out of millions of flights every year, almost every single one lands safely.
The chance of something going wrong?
It’s so small, it’s almost impossible.
But still… why are so many people afraid of flying?
Simple:
Plane crashes are big news. When they happen, the whole world hears about them.
It feels like crashes happen all the time, but they don’t.
We just don’t hear about the millions of safe flights every day.
No one writes: “Plane landed safely today!”
But every day, that’s exactly what happens...over and over again.
But, let’s go back to where it all started.
For thousands of years, people looked at birds and dreamed of flying.
9th Century- Abbas Ibn Firnas from Spain built a glider and tried to fly. He crashed but inspired future dreamers.
1400s- Leonardo da Vinci designed flying machines. His drawings were beautiful, but no one built them.
1600s- Galileo Galilei studied gravity and motion ...important science for future inventors.
1903- The Wright brothers built the first real airplane. It flew for just 12 seconds, but it changed everything. Forever.
Soon, planes were used in World War I.
Then came the first commercial flight in 1914...a tiny seaplane that carried just one passenger.
In the 1920s and 1930s, people started flying between cities and countries.
Then the big step.
In 1958, the Boeing 707 arrived. Flying across oceans became fast and easy.
Flying went from a wild dream to a normal part of life.
But let me show you what the actual point of this article is.
Yes, plane crashes have happened. Some were terrible.
Here are some of the big accidents I found.
1920- First known plane crash after takeoff (London to Paris). 4 people died.
1953- First deadly jet crash (Pakistan). 11 people died.
1977- Tenerife runway crash. 583 people died. The deadliest accident in aviation history. Cause: fog and miscommunication.
1985- Japan Airlines crash. 520 people died. Cause: a bad repair years earlier.
The plane crash mysteries
Some crashes are still unsolved. These are the ones that really make us wonder.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
In 2014, this plane disappeared with 239 people on board.
It simply vanished from radar.
The last words heard from the plane were: "Goodnight Malaysian three seven zero."
When I watched this documentary on Netflix and heard that sentence, it made my skin crawl.
Some small pieces of the plane were found later in the Indian Ocean, but the main wreckage and black box were never found. No one knows what really happened. It’s still a mystery.
There are a lot of different theories about what happened, but if you have Netflix, I recommend you watch it.
Amelia Earhart
In 1937, she tried to fly around the world and disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Some believe she crashed into the sea. Others think she survived on a small island.
We still don’t know.
I read a lot about her, and I believe there will also be an article about her because she was a truly inspiring and amazing woman.
The Star Dust flight
In 1947, this plane disappeared in the mountains between Argentina and Chile.
The last message was strange: "STENDEC."
To this day, no one knows what it means. The plane was lost for over 50 years until it was found in the Andes Mountains in 1998.
But why are some crashes never solved?
Some planes crash in places that are nearly impossible to reach...you know...like deep oceans, high mountains, or thick jungles. Even today, with all our modern technology, some planes are never found. Bad weather, dangerous locations, and sometimes old equipment make it really hard to solve these accidents. It’s like the world is still hiding its secrets.
What s the percentage of plane crashes you ask? The chance of a plane crashing is extremely, extremely low. Here’s the real number...The odds of a plane crashing are about 1 in 11 million flights. That means the crash rate is less than 0.00001% per flight.
Or simply: 99.99999% of flights are safe.
Example- If there were 100,000 flights, 99,999 would land safely.
Flying is about 50 times safer than driving a car!!
Remember. The numbers prove it’s safe.
Next time you fly, remind yourself:
You’re in good hands. The chances of something bad happening are almost zero.
But I’m curious… What do you think?
Do you believe the official stories? Do you have your own theory about missing planes?
Drop your thoughts in the comments!
With love, @tinabrezpike ❤️
I don't have any theories about missing planes. Except for the obvious logic that the Earth is a big place. And I know how difficult it is to find lost things around the house. So it's not surprising to me that planes can be lost.
But my immediate thoughts about your post don't actually refer to flying. Because you reminded me of a story from my sister last month.
She is planning to take her grandchildren on their first cruise. But independently, 2 of them immediately voiced their fears, having watched The Titanic. So she asked why did everyone remember The Titanic?
Because there was only one of them!
OK, not strictly true in the history of maritime disasters. But it was enough to put their minds at rest.
!BBH
You're right…cruises can be scary, and as you mentioned, the Titanic has left a lasting fear of such travel. That tragedy happened in 1912, but I think after watching the movie, many of us felt a bit scared about traveling by ship! However, once the kids are on the cruise, they'll probably forget those fears and just enjoy the journey. ☺️ Ah, the sea and the waves all around you... I really want to go on a cruise! 😂
I feel the same way about not speculating on what happened to certain planes, but people come up with so many conspiracy theories about the missing Malaysia flight…everything from the pilot's suicide to a terrorist attack. In the end, it’s likely just a mechanical issue. But if people lack answers, they will believe in all sorts of stories. Interestingly, even when some people are given explanations, they still refuse to believe them and continue to push their conspiracy theories.
And like you mentioned, if it's challenging to find items in our own apartments, how could anyone possibly locate a plane that crashed in the middle of the ocean? 🤔
I remember also watching that documentary of Malaysia Airlines. The chills that ran up my spine were terrible. And don't get me started on all the missing planes issue. Where did they really go?
Generally, I believe that air transportation is actually the safest but there will always be that fear because of the 0.0001% of planes that crash every year. Crazy stuff.😬
I still believe that most missing planes experienced some sort of technical problem. When a crash occurs in the middle of the ocean and the plane or the black box is never found, it's impossible to determine what happened. However, it often seems like the simplest explanation is the truth. People tend to believe in some kind of conspiracy theory and look for the most outlandish answers.
Yes, flying is still the safest mode of transportation, but many people can't help but wonder, what if….If we let that fear prevent us from traveling, we miss out on so much. For instance, my friend has never flown due to his intense fear of flying. I just think, bro…you'll never see the world…
And that's true.
You'll never see the world.
Flights in my part of the world are for the middle upper class to the rich mostly, but can you imagine all the sights you'd actually miss out on if you never fly once?
Do you think your friend will ever overcome that fear?
Very informative post. The statistics really help ease the fear, but the mysteries still leave you wondering.
People love mysterious things…I won't lie, I also… but at the end, it's always the simple answer about what happened…thanks for stopping by ☺️