By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
On Sunday evenings, my dad would take us to two places after we would have dinner. First, he would take us to get ice cream at the Sealtest dairy. After that, we would go and watch the planes take off and come in at Smith Reynolds airport.
Yes, our town of Winston-Salem NC back in the day had an airport. Piedmont Airlines which later became USAir was one of the carriers. Watching airplanes come and go gave me something to talk about with my friends.
Being young, I never thought about them not being safe. Airplanes having problems really didn’t occur to me. To me, passengers got on them, arrived at their destination and went on their way.
Many years ago, I boarded my first flight with my parents. It was a thrill. Feeling the liftoff of a plane was a unique sensation. It still is.
Maybe it was my age as I wasn’t apprehensive. Now, I must admit to a bit of apprehension mainly because of what is happening in the world today.
Many of us now fear getting on planes also because of safety concerns. Critics of the industry say that planes are not being built with the meticulous attention that is required. Some will go so far as to say that the assembly lines are missing both parts and workers. Additionally, the deadlines are unreasonable. That’s scary.
Life is in a hurry, and we don’t want to slow down. Double checking and adjusting have gone out of style. The question at the plant is who is checking the checker?
According to reports by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) services over 45,000 flights and 2.9 million airline passengers daily. This takes place across more than 29 million square miles of air space with up to 5,400 aircraft in the air at any given time.
This report gives an interesting account of what goes on in the “friendly skies”. We are flying more than ever these days. The average cost of an airline ticket within the US is between $261.63 and $465.68 according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
These price points depend upon when we book our flights. Airline observers always tell us that fares are constantly changing. As a result, we as consumers must keep a watchful eye on them.
When you get on an aircraft, do you ever wonder who built it? More of us are asking that question.
A report that was released in January of this year says that Airbus and Boeing are the world’s largest commercial air- line manufacturers by deliveries. There is also a backlog in aircraft production. Simply put, airlines are ordering more airplanes.
If you have been keeping up with the airlines, you know that Boeing has had some “turbulence”. Their aircraft have been experiencing more investigations and production delays. There are also people spilling the beans on their practices.
Sam Salehpour a Boeing engineer has alleged the company took shortcuts when manufacturing its 777 and 787 Dream- liner jets. The New York Times in its reporting says these short-cuts could reduce the lifespan of the aircraft by 50 years. The company said recently, “These claims about the strucural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft. We are fully confident in the safety and durability of the 777 family.”
If you recall in January, a part of an Alaska Airlines 737 was involved in a malfunction directly after take-off. The Boeing Company has some explaining to do.
They also have some work to do as well. Press releases in the public square won’t turn the tide of public opinion. The opinions of many suggest that something is terribly wrong at Boeing and needs to be fixed.
We the people want friendly skies, but we also want safe skies, too.
Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. is a longtime educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
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