Larger plane doesn’t mean that it’s safer

Q: My friend, an airline captain, tells me that the bigger the plane, the more backup systems it has. Is it safe to say then that the A380s, 747s and 777s are safer to fly? — Gabriel, Penang, Malaysia

A: The A380, 747 and 777 are certainly safe. So are other airliners like the Airbus A320 family, the Boeing 737 family, 757, 767, A330/ 340, A350, 787, Embraer 135/ 145, EMB 170/ 190 and Bombardier CRJs, to list a few. Airliners are safe. The larger airplanes have a larger number of redundant systems due to their size but that does not mean one airplane is safer than another.

Q: Is it safer to be on a smaller plane or larger one? — Natasha, D. C.

A: It is not possible to make a safety differentiation between small or large airplanes because the terms are vague. Regional airline- size airplanes have a somewhat higher accident rate than do larger airline jets. Turboprops have a higher accident rate than jets. Airline jets have some models with lower accident rates than others, but size is not the determining factor. Aviation is the safest form of transportation ( after a previous column, I was corrected that an escalator is safer, but I don’t think it’s quite comparable). They are both safe — even if one type has a slightly higher accident rate, that rate is still infinitesimal.

Q: Is a four- engine 747 safer than a two- engine 777?

— Submitted via email

A: No, they are both safe. Having two more engines is not a guarantee of increased safety. The engine failure rate of the B747 is higher, due to having two more engines and the older technology.