Flight safety is probably the main thing on the minds of most passengers as they board an aircraft. For anyone who uses air travel, flight safety is of vital importance, especially in this post-9/11 world when flight safety in international and even domestic flights depends not only upon the soundness of the aircraft but also upon the quality of airport and aircraft security. Many passengers believe flight safety begins with the flight attendant safety demonstration on board the aircraft prior to takeoff. Actually, flight safety measures are taken well before that.

The Flight Safety Foundation, an organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, provides a forum in which all people connected with the air travel industry, from the manufacturers of airplanes to flight crewmembers can share information and ideas on how to improve safety in the air. Their work touches everything from aircraft maintenance to human resource management and flight safety. They distribute flight safety posters and flight safety pictures. The organization also provides expert flight safety analysis. Their research into flight safety includes studies of FOD (foreign object damage) related incidents. This involves any object in the air or on the ground that should not be anywhere near aircraft. The Flight Safety Foundation even publishes a magazine called AeroSafety World. While safety in the air is, of course, a very serious issue, one of the organizations concerned with air safety has tried to lighten things somewhat with a series of flight attendant safety cartoons.

Some airlines now provide a free inflight safety video for passengers. This might be shown as an aid to the safety procedures demonstrated by a flight attendant. It is always a good idea to pay attention to the film and demonstration. At the World Airlines Entertainment Association’s Annual Avion Awards, the United Airline’s in flight safety video was part of the reason that airline was the recipient of an award. A Delta flight safety video has also been commended.

The FAA has put together an airbus flight safety manager’s handbook that covers every aspect of flight safety. It uses a diagram of a Heinrich Pyramid to show: a. accidents – the small tip of the pyramid, b. incidents, a slightly larger area below the tip of the pyramid, c. unreported incidents, which make up the mail body of the pyramid. The goal of the organization is to achieve zero accidents.

Every passenger can do his or her part for flight safety by observing all regulations and by being a good guest while aboard an aircraft.