Aviation journalists like me generally don't write news stories about the aircraft that don't crash. So, even though air travel is statistically safer than than walking across the street to buy a vanilla soy latte at Starbucks, give me an airplane crash and I'll give you 24/7 wall-to-wall coverage.
But I'm going to break with this time-honored and web traffic-proven tradition today to report about some airplanes that haven't crashed this year: namely, those flown by the US Air Force (USAF).
A quick check of the Accident Investigation Board web site reveals that the USAF is quietly compiling a historically safe year. With only two weeks remaining in fiscal year 2007, USAF pilots are enjoying the longest streak of crash-free days and fewest number of total "Class A" mishaps since at least FY99.
It may be the safest year the USAF has ever recorded but I can only find safety statistics going back to the year before the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
There hasn't been a major USAF aircraft crash this year since May 30, which means the current streak has lasted 109 days. The previous longest streak that I could find went from March 19, 2000 to May 31, 2000, which was only 73 days.
The number of total crashes is, by comparison, even more significant. Even including the 73-day streak in FY00, 24 USAF aircraft suffered Class A mishaps that year. The number so far this year is 13, which is nearly 50% of the previous best year since FY99.
With the USAF's fleet aging and the cost of recapitalizng growing with every F-22 and F-35 added to the procurement budget, this safety trend has major implications for the air force's long-term fleet plans.
Normally, I'd be tempted to add a little photo of a crashed jet at the end of this post, as crash pictures are like liquid gold for web traffic, but I shall refrain. It's obviously a good time for breaking a bunch of traditions about aviation crashes.
Leave a comment