10 Fun Facts about Airplanes You Should Know

Planes have come a long way since the Wright brothers first flew. The early planes made of wood and cloth differed from today’s elegant Boeing Dreamliner. It’s challenging to keep up with all the incredible things aircraft nowadays are capable of due to the continuous developments in aerospace technology. But there are a bunch of fun facts about airplanes you should know. So here are our picks for you.

1. Don’t assume that your meal will be delicious

Don’t get me wrong! Any meal that will be served to you is most likely to have no flavored taste. That’s because you probably lose out on most of your taste buds, which will make you wonder, “what is the deal with the airplane food?” Food or the airline you flew with are not to blame! Of course, the chef is not good at all, but the main reason is the whole situation of dry air and low pressure, which leads to numbing the third of your tongue buds.

2. The captain is the president of the plane

No, we meant it. The airplane captain is in charge, and he is responsible for the safety, security, and stability of the plane. As soon as you take off, the plane’s captain takes command. As an example, the crew may either detain a passenger. Handcuffs are usually kept on hand by the captain for this reason. It is the final measure if they believe a passenger is threatening the crew or other passengers. Even though they can’t make an official arrest, they may phone ahead to have the local law enforcement ready to meet them upon arrival.

3. Some planes are designed to be able to fly for +5h with some damages

With the development of aviation technology, many planes can continue their journey safe and sound with one inoperative engine. It is referred to as ETOPS (extended twin operations). For example, the Boeing 787 has effectively received the ETOPS certification, implying that it can fly with one damaged engine for more than 5 hours before safely landing.

4. When you want to go to the bathroom, just go

I know many of us have nightmares because of the airplane bathroom. They thought it was easy to be stuck inside waiting for an emergency release to let you go, which never happens before landing. Forget about it. The thing is: it’s impossible to lock yourself in the bathroom. Even if you’ve locked yourself in, a switch makes it simpler to get out.

5. Some aircraft include secret bedrooms where the crew may sleep

Mainly, during long flights, some aircraft (such as the Boeing 777 and 787) feature a hidden staircase that leads to a few windowless bedrooms where passengers may stretch out during lengthy flights. That means crew members can catch some shut-eye and recharge their batteries without interruption. In addition, pilots may have access to a separate section of a hotel or resort with their rooms. The crew sleeping accommodations are often located right behind the cockpit, above the first-class seats, on most airplanes.

6. Lighting strikes are safe for airplanes

It’s an interesting fact about airplanes that they can survive and remain intact even when they’re struck by lightning. Lightning strikes may cause aircraft to burst into flames and electrostatic discharge. The metal may dissipate lightning strikes on the plane’s exterior, which conducts electricity. The inside of an airplane often has insulating material that protects passengers and crew from electrical current.

7. The tray table is the dirtiest place on a plane

It was determined that the amounts of bacteria on tray tables were three times greater than those found on the toilet flush button. So, keep your hands away from the tray when the food is served to you. Now, enjoy your meal safe and sound without any digestive issues.

8. During a plane crashes, no seat is secured… Or maybe not, really!

Nevertheless, a TIME analysis of aviation crashes revealed that middle seats in the rear of the plane had the lowest death rate in the event of a crash. When it comes to plane disasters, “the rear third of the aircraft had a 32% death rate, compared with 39% in the middle third and 38% in the front third,” according to their findings. Additionally, another study found that the window seats are the worst place during any accidents since they can be quickly ejected from the plane. Indeed, they could not flee the aircraft when it caught on fire.

But the FAA says there is no specific place in the plane that is safer than each other. 

Our advice to you is to take the seat you love and don’t overthink horrible scenarios. And keep in mind that aviation accidents are pretty uncommon.

9. Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals

Many airlines require pilots and co-pilots to eat different meals to avoid both of them contracting food poisoning, or something like that, at the same time. Furthermore, both of them should be well-versed in flying the aircraft if one of them becomes fatigued.

10. Don’t worry about plane tires

Airplane tires are built to resist huge weight loads (up to 38 tons!) and can strike the ground at speeds of up to 170 miles per hour more than 500 times before being replaced. As an added precaution, the pressure in aircraft tires is 200 psi, almost six times the pressure used in a vehicle tire. If an airplane’s tires do need to be changed, ground crew members simply jack the aircraft up as you would a car.

We hope that these fun facts about airplanes have piqued your curiosity. Do you know any other interesting facts about flights? We’d love to hear what you have to say! Leave a comment below.

Oh, you made it through till the end. check out our recent blogs.