• Flight safety is a very important issue.airplane#2 image by krynio from Fotolia.com
  
  It wasn't too long ago when the idea of flying to your next far-off destination was unheard of. Understandably, flying can be a hair-raising experience for some. While safety issues and risks do arise, air travel is relatively safe, says AirSafe. Understanding the specific issues associated with flight safety is important to knowing what could happen during a flight.
  
  

Turbulence

• Turbulence can be an extremely scary experience with your first reaction possibly being "we're all going to die!" Caused by wind shifting or air otherwise reacting to the airplane, turbulence usually isn't a big deal. If you've never dealt with turbulence, it causes the plane to bob and jerk in different directions. The two biggest safety threats from turbulence are structural damage and passenger injury. For structural damage the turbulence needs to be very violent because aircraft regulations typically require planes strong enough to deal with turbulence. Passenger injury can occur when a pocket of sudden turbulence is hit, causing any standing or otherwise unsecured passengers to freely bounce around.
  
  

Crashes

• While airplane crashes are rare, they are a real safety issue that should be taken seriously due to the often severe nature of plane crashes. An AirSafe study evaluated all major commercial airline crashes between 1970 and 2005 and determined that, in most cases, crashes accounted for less than one percent of an individual airline's total flights. In other words, if Anonymous Airlines flew only 100 flights between 1970 and 2005, one of the flights may have crashed, though at less than one percent, that one plane might not even crash. AirSafe states that there were only seven fatal commercial airline crashes in 2008.
  
  

Human Error

• The Denver Post states that human error remains one of the largest risks to flight safety. The paper claims that human error accounts for the majority of plane crashes. While computers are used to run a large portion of the airplane, certain aspects are still controlled by humans. Though pilots go through rigorous training and testing to get their wings, they're still people; in other words, they're not perfect. Distractions, fatigue, inattentiveness and poor communication are all factors that could lead to human error. The pilots, themselves, can't solely be held to blame. Distractions and error can also come from the flight crew, ground crew and tower control.
  
  

Cabin Safety Tips

• AirSafe offers a number of useful tips to ensure that you help make your next flight as safe as you personally can. First, don't pack anything that has been restricted or banned by the airline. While some items are banned for "worst-case-scenario" reasons, other items may pose a serious threat, such as combustibles. Also, pay close attention when the flight crew goes over safety information. In the event of an actual problem, knowing the information covered may save your life. Also, always be aware of where you are on the plane and try to map out the quickest and easiest exit route, in the event of an emergency.