How safe was it to fly in 2011?

How safe was it to fly in 2011? In the 17 January issue of Flight International, operations and safety editor David Learmount compiles his annual analysis of the previous 12 months' aviation safety record.

The findings appear paradoxical at first glance. There was a significant rise in the number of fatal accidents last year, yet the year was hailed as the safest ever - at least from one way of looking at the numbers. A rise in overall airline traffic and the fact that several of the fatal accidents involved freighters or commuter types meant that there were fewer deaths than might have been expected and pushed the rate of fatal accidents from one per 1.3 million flights in 2010 to one per 1.52 million last year.

Learmount also examines the causes of the accidents and wonders why complacency - most crashes in which pilot behaviour is a factor can be traced back in some way to his or her employer's safety management culture and training - refuses to make an exit, particularly in some parts of the world.

The analysis contains a full listing of all the significant civil aviation accidents and incidents.

The issue also contains our preview of the Bahrain air show, as the kingdom tries to repair its tattered international reputation after the crushing of the Arab Spring protests. The show, the second after the launch edition in 2010, gives Bahrain a chance to rebuild its image as an aviation hub as well as a regional centre for finance and commerce.