by Christopher H. Stevens

Created on: October 07, 2008

When it comes to airline travel there is a confusing myriad of myths flying about the industry. Separating fact from fiction is difficult, if not impossible, for the casual flyer. Fear not, as we lift the shroud of mystery and shed light on common myths about airplanes and air travel.

Perhaps the most pervasive myth about air travel is that you have a better chance of slipping in your bathtub than you do of being killed in an airline crash. While this is true, you have complete control over your bathtub, while aircraft safety is dependent on a huge team of over worked maintenance personnel, a pilot who may or may not have slept well before flying, and mitigating factors such as weather and other aircraft operating in your vicinity. In your bathtub, you are free to use non slip mats, handle bars in the shower, and wear non slip shoes while bathing. I will take my chances in the tub anyway.

Another common myth is that airplanes are a haven for germs and disease. This is true. A quick survey of the people around you in the cabin will generally include people with colds, fevers, running noses, sweaty palms, open sores, blistering rashes, oozing pimples, and enough phlegm to fill a carry on suitcase. And this is just the flight attendants. The passengers are even grosser. Chances are, none of these people slipped in their shower, having not taken one in several months.

Another air travel myth concerns the belief that birds inadvertently sucked into the engines during flight can cause the airliner to crash. This has been studied extensively in laboratories where engineers tossed live birds into small airline engines. Verdict: the birds lost. While pigeons and sparrows fared the worst among all species, larger birds such as owls, ostrich and vultures were found to have significantly adversely affected the operation of the engine. This was mitigated by adding an extra series if blades to airline engines that would serve to shred larger birds into very small pieces thus avoiding malfunction of the aircraft. When it was pointed out to these engineers that ostriches are flightless birds that posed no threat to flying aircraft, they indicated that they did it just for the hell of it.

The final myth to address concerns the belief that electronic devices will interfere with the aircraft's instruments. Electronic signals and radio waves emitted from carry on devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, hand held video games, microwave ovens, popcorn poppers, pacemakers, ham radios, and tickle me Elmo dolls can wreak havoc with the sensitive instruments in the cockpit. I think. While it sounds plausible, the jury is still out on this one. Some experts speculate that excluding the use of these items during take off and landing is simply a ploy to make passengers more likely to pay attention to pre flight and final approach safety instructions, while others assert that it is to stimulate the sale of lice infested airline headphones to bored passengers.

You are now ready to fly comfortably and with peace of mind, knowing the truth behind airline myths. Be careful in the bathtub and enjoy your flight.

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