Flying is safer, period.
In the US, there are only about ten fatalities per year on commercial aircraft. You are more likely to die of a lightning strike.
And if you only consider major airlines, in the last twenty years there have been only three passenger fatalities.
gregorum@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Large commercial aircraft with 2 trained pilots, air traffic control, a full flight crew, autopilot, and millions of dollars of advanced avionics.
These are not the same type of aircraft, nor are they the same caliber of pilots that will be flying them. And there won’t be air traffic control to back them up, either. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
FlowVoid@midwest.social 9 months ago
Major airlines have two pilots and expensive avionics. But “commercial aircraft” refers to all aircraft with paying passengers, including propeller planes with a single pilot that take a few passengers sightseeing.
And all pilots are guided by air traffic control, from major airliners to solo private pilots. Air traffic control is meant to prevent mid-air collisions, an air traffic control system that ignored small aircraft would be pointless.
gregorum@lemm.ee 9 months ago
And with that many more tiny little craft flying around, the risk increases. How do you not understand that?
FlowVoid@midwest.social 9 months ago
The risk increases with any aircraft, the size is irrelevant. You might as well complain whenever Boeing sells a new airplane.
Fortunately, the ATC regulates the number of aircraft - of any size - that can safely fly in a particular section of airspace.