Flight 447 a Reminder to Continually Improve Saftey

On June 1, 2009, Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France that broke apart in flight and fell into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 216 passengers and 12 crew members onboard.

The deadliest accident in the history of Air France, officials from The European Aviation Safety Agency said that it was considering making the replacement of airspeed sensors mandatory on some Airbus jets after a preliminary investigation revealed inconsistent speed measurements may have played a role in the accident. Officials believe the plane encountered a high-altitude storm; such weather can make speed sensors vulnerable to icing.

It seems that many innovative aircraft technologies and safety regulations are developed and improved in the wake of a tragic accident, much like that of Flight 447 and speed sensors. For example, in 1996, TWA Flight 800 exploded in mid-air, instantly killing all 230 individuals onboard. The subsequent NTSB investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was an explosion of the center wing fuel tank that most likely resulted from faulty wiring. As a result, LiveWire Test Labs created an arc fault breaker designed to detect and locate hazardous faulty wiring. There’s also the crash earlier this year of a commuter plane that was carrying 49 individuals in Buffalo, New York – all 49 people along with one on the ground were killed. Numerous safety issues have been brought to light and many are working to reform regulations regarding pilot training and directives.

The tragic crash of Flight 447 should serve as a solemn reminder that airlines, transportation officials, and the government should be working in tandem to continually improve aviation safety. Devastating crashes are often the catalyst for major aviation reform and regulations; while we all wish it had never happened, it should be used as an opportunity to largely enhance airplane safety for the millions of people who fly throughout the world every single day.