Travel can be an anxiety-ridden experience for many people. Even the more travel-savvy amongst us can experience the jitters when a plane hits an unexpected patch of turbulence. Luckily, as experts frequently say, air travel is one of the safest modes of travel around.
However, one flight attendant recently revealed a travel secret that could have your stomach in knots.
The anonymous cabin crew worker shared the secret on Reddit in a forum dedicated to “disturbing secrets” of the skies.
They explained: “There is a large list of things that can be broken but the aircraft can still fly.”
Luckily, the terrifying thought is somewhat appeased by a second flight attendant who chimed in to add that while many things can be broken, the plane is “still safe to fly”.
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The Wings
As you may expect, the plane’s wings are pretty integral to the flight’s structure, and a damaged wing can cause disastrous consequences.
However, the winglets atop the plans wings can be damaged and cause no issue for a flight midair.
The winglets are fitted to many aircraft at the end of each wing to help reduce drag.
Similarly, if the wing flaps become damaged during a flight, the plane should still be able to land, though it may be harder for the pilot to handle.
In order to turn the aircraft, the pilot utilises what are known as the ailerons. They sit at the far end of the wing.
However, should they run into trouble, the pilot is still able to turn the aircraft using the rudder.
Air-conditioning pack
The air-conditioning pack assists with pressurising the cabin when the plane is at high altitude.
If one of these fails the plane must suddenly drop to a lower altitude in case the second fails.
This is the most common time that oxygen masks drop.
Pilots are also often instructed to make an emergency landing in this instance.
Electrical Systems
Electrical systems on board are duplicated so that if one fails there is always another one working.
Therefore, in this instance, a plane can still fly with one of its electrical systems broken, however, any more than that and passengers could be in grave danger.
Autopilot
Aeroplanes have an autopilot system in place to help assist the two pilots who are navigating the plane through the skies.
While, technically, a plane can still be flown manually if its autopilot system goes down, this is impractical for long-haul flights and can result in pilot exhaustion.
Radios
Special radios help the aircraft communicate with air traffic control and other aeroplanes in their flight path.
They are imperative in making sure the flight stays on course and does not run into danger.
Luckily, if the radio system does fail there are several back up systems in place to regain communication with the ground.