The early days of commercial aviation were fraught with dangers. However, today's safe air travel is the easiest way to get from one destination to the next and is driven by sophisticated technologies and decades of innovation.

The tools and techniques used often go overlooked but are the unsung heroes of airlines.

The progression of safety in air travel

Commercial air travel began in 19141, with open cockpit flights where a passenger sat next to the pilot. The wind and weather battered passengers, making the experience unbearable to some. Even when larger carriers began running around 1927, flying was loud and uncomfortable. The cabins were not pressurized, forcing pilots to fly at low altitudes. Air sickness was a common problem.

In the decades since, innovators have come up with ways to make air travel more comfortable and one of the safest ways to travel. From heightened security measures to machine maintenance, technology supports the 35.3 million flights worldwide2, carrying five billion passengers each year. Even with such massive numbers, statistically, people are more likely to get in an accident driving to the airport than flying.

The technology behind safe air travel

Hearing the numbers and understanding why air travel is safe are two different things. People often overlook the technology that keeps them stable at 30,000 feet. Here are some of the more exciting behind-the-scenes tools airlines use daily.

1. Aircraft oxygen systems

Oxygen plays such a crucial role in the safety and health of passengers that the FAA requires airplanes to meet certain standards. Although rare, if a cabin loses pressure in the middle of a flight, it's crucial that everyone on board has access to clean oxygen. The technology can be life or death in situations where decisions must be made in mere seconds to prevent catastrophic results like the pilot losing consciousness.

The aircraft may require different types of oxygen systems. Continuous flow systems are used under 25,000 feet mean sea level 3 and are quite typical in the passenger compartments of aircraft. Diluter demand systems work to preserve oxygen supply between 25,000 and 40,000 feet and adjust automatically based on altitude and user breathing rate. Pressure demand systems are for heights over 40,000 feet and force air into the lungs to ensure enough oxygen enters the bloodstream at extreme altitudes.

Chemical oxygen generators are lightweight and can produce oxygen through a combustion process, saving space and weight. Systems monitor oxygen levels in the cabin and ensure oxygen is safe for flight, as it can be explosive under the wrong conditions. Companies providing oxygen systems regularly improve their processes and safety measures.

2. AI maintenance monitoring

While experience is sometimes the best predictor of when to replace components on a plane or delay a flight for repairs, the analytic power of AI is something airlines can use as a checklist to ensure maintenance crews catch any flaws.

Many of today's maintenance technology software analyzes trends and flags anomalies. This means airlines can replace parts predictively before the element fails. Passengers only see the crews refueling and checking landing gear, but the work going on behind the scenes via data analysis lets mechanics replace parts to avoid flight delays and prevent mid-air failures.

3. Cockpit automation

Today's pilots may know how to fly a plane manually, but they are also on the cutting edge of technology, using highly complex control boards to reduce human error and help with split-second decision-making.

Automation mitigates issues, like human error due to exhaustion or illness. Some of the systems utilized on aircraft include the Autopilot Flight Director System and the Flight Management System. Pilots may use these tools during descent and while at cruising altitude to monitor the skies around them.

You’ve likely heard of autopilots, but the software is more advanced than in decades past. They might include weather data and predict turbulence, adjusting the flight path to reduce issues. Human error incidents are much lower than they were before advances in autopilot systems.

Researchers at MIT developed a new technique to solve stabilization management issues through narrow corridors and other tricky situations4. Every year, technology gets smarter and more advanced, improving systems.

4. Runway safety

Technology impacts more than the aircraft and pilots. Landing strips and air traffic control rely on emerging technology for safe air travel from takeoff to landing. In poor visibility, pilots might rely on high-intensity runway lighting systems. The number of safety issues decreased 5 since the installation of runway safety systems at major airports.

Smart systems increase pilot awareness of other planes or runway obstacles. Runway status lights use surveillance from radar and transponders placed in aircraft and light up the runway. The colors can vary, based on what the pilot needs to know. If another aircraft or vehicle is in the plane's path, the lights might turn red.

By adding instant, visual communication, pilots gain extra seconds that could help them avoid a collision.

The runaway awareness and advisory system is a cockpit-based landing technology. It gives pilots audible alerts about their position and the runway. For example, the system might announce when a pilot is entering an active runway or nearing the end of a landing strip.

In the air traffic control tower, advanced computers tap into the surface movement guidance and control system, which works in tandem to coordinate signs, radar, lighting, and visibility signals. Controllers can avoid miscommunication or delays when offering direction to pilots thanks to instant feedback and automation.

By combining these tools and human experience and decision-making, runways become safer.

5. Collision avoidance

Collision avoidance systems have been around for a while, but advances in sensors and technology mean they are more sophisticated than ever before. By combining ground proximity warning and traffic collision avoidance systems, many of the most fatal accident types can be thwarted.

The systems monitor aircraft in the vicinity and give pilots real-time avoidance advice. They issue alerts and are critical to avoiding mid-air disasters. They play a prominent role in high-traffic airspace and serve as a second warning system when air traffic control fails.

Safe air travel will continue to improve

As AI advances and automation integrates with people’s daily lives, air travel will remain safe by using a combination of technology and human intuitiveness. By utilizing the available tools, airlines can make travel not only the safest method but also possibly eliminate most crashes.

The future will see more AI monitoring of passenger health, oxygen levels, and safety innovations. One day, air travel may be as commonplace as a trip to the local big box store.

Notes

1 The Evolution of the Commercial Flying Experience at the Smithsonian.
2 Air Transport Industry Facts & Figures at Air Transport Action Group.
3 What Pilots Should Know About Aircraft Oxygen Systems and Safe Oxygen Servicing at HRD Aero Systems.
4 A step toward safe and reliable autopilots for flying at MIT News.
5 Good News for Anxious Fliers: Improved Runway Safety at AARP.