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Recently, aviation safety has become a hot topic following a series of serious incidents, from the Jeju Air plane fire in South Korea that killed 179 people to the collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in the United States. Although still considered one of the safest modes of transportation, recent plane crashes have shown that many risks still exist.
In the United States, a series of aviation accidents in recent months has led to investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
On January 29, an American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. A few days later, a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York had to be evacuated due to an engine fire before takeoff. On February 12, a Learjet 35A skidded off the runway during landing, colliding with a Gulfstream aircraft at Scottsdale Airport, Arizona, killing the pilot.
According to aviation experts, the two most dangerous phases of a flight are takeoff and landing. According to statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), out of a total of 1,468 aviation accidents in 2024, 770 occurred during landing and 124 occurred during takeoff.
According to aviation experts, the two most dangerous phases of a flight are takeoff and landing.
Transportation analyst Mary Schiavo argues that the higher accident rates during these phases are due to inherent risks and the numerous complex maneuvers involved in takeoff and landing at airports. She also notes that descent and landing are more dangerous than takeoff because there are fewer contingency plans. "This is truly a critical time, especially for mid-air incidents and collisions...", she emphasizes.
Takeoff and landing are procedures that cannot be taken lightly. Pilots receive continuous training to handle situations should incidents occur during these moments. Therefore, to minimize risks during these two phases, the FAA has implemented the "sterile cockpit" rule since 1981. According to this rule, pilots are not allowed to converse or perform any non-essential activities below an altitude of 3,000 meters, ensuring maximum concentration during takeoff and landing.
Pilots must perform a series of checks to ensure all systems are functioning properly. In addition, there are backup systems to alert pilots or air traffic controllers if they make a mistake.
"The most important thing is that the entire focus must be on a single task: controlling the aircraft from takeoff to a safe landing," said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Union Pilots Association, the organization representing American Airlines pilots.
"The most important thing is that all focus must be on a single task: controlling the aircraft from takeoff to a safe landing."
Recent incidents also present an opportunity to further identify areas for improvement in the aviation industry in order to reduce risks and thoroughly enhance safety for human lives.
“Safety is a shared responsibility of everyone involved in aviation, from commercial airlines to private pilots,” said Jason Ambrosi, president of the Airline Pilots Association. “Times like these underscore why pilots must train continuously, maintain the highest standards, and work every day to ensure that air travel remains the safest mode of transportation.”
The NTSB's investigations into recent incidents could take more than a year before a formal conclusion is reached, but immediate improvements will be implemented to mitigate risks. According to experts, aviation safety is constantly improving, and the industry will continue to learn from incidents to refine its systems.
