So why read about this? Because flying is a miracle of modern engineering. Every time you buckle your seatbelt, you’re joining a system that has spent a hundred years getting better. The chances of being in a fatal crash are about 1 in 11 million. You’re more likely to win the lottery or get struck by lightning.
The next time you hear about a crash on the news, remember that it is newsworthy because it is so rare. What causes a crash? A chain of small failures. What prevents nearly all crashes? A chain of small successes—by pilots, mechanics, designers, and even weather forecasters.
So go ahead, book that flight. Strap in. And when the flight attendant tells you to fasten your seatbelt, smile. You’re now part of the safest machine humans have ever built. And if your coffee spills? That’s just a tiny drama. You’ve got this.
