Dear @Sardar, I think that after the sad and  mysterious air accidents, the aviation industry should come up with enhanced communications protocol in real time environment to ensure safety of passengers and staff.

Dear @Sardar, I think that after the sad and  mysterious air accidents, the aviation industry should come up with enhanced communications protocol in real time environment to ensure safety of passengers and staff.

These air accidents will be a good lesson for aviation industry.

I recall somebody said "one perosn's death is a sad thing but thounds death become a number". I do not agree with the words but the 2014 is really a sad year for aviation industry. How about those nonsense death from ridiculous wars world- wide in 2014? Maybe we should say 2014 is a bad year for mankind.

Dear Ru-Jen,

One is sad, thousands become a number and the future unknown outcome is terrifying. 

My upvote is for an enhanced communications protocol in real time environment.

I understand but do not forget about the fact such system can also be dangerous since all systems have backdoor. Remember hacker can literally go in any computerized system to do bad things and the consequence can be even worse. I am not against the real time communication system at all. Just do remember evil people can do evil things if they have the intention to do so.  

I agree with Kamal. It was a scary year.

Although I feel 2014 is a bad year for mankind but the worst will be we failed to learn from those tragedies and keep making the same mistakes. A safer aviation is a must for all of us but we need to do it cautiously with a good plan. To patch up a failing system without a good plan may simply lead to a bigger problem down the road. We have seen that just so many times.

There is a saying that "Lightning does not strike twice," meaning that repeating a rare event in the same place (or short time span in the case of this thread) is unlikely. (Though it seems obvious that a tall tree in a field might be a good place for lightning to repeatedly strike!)

But coincidence does happen, and random events do tend to cluster rather than be uniformly distributed (as shown on the TV show "Numbers"). So things happen, and I think that Marilyn Savant once said it would be unusual if something unusual did not happen around us. Also two observations is a very small number, though not so much in failure analysis as opposed to a sample size for an experiment.

So is this something to be particularly alarmed about? Of course the loss of life and suffering of the friends who survive is without measure, but should more attention be shown to possible safety problems related to this event as opposed to all others? Perhaps not. But then, if there were a third incident soon and nothing had been done to further try to avoid it, that would be tragic also.

So was this a bad year for aviation history? By many definitions of 'bad year,' I would say so, but was it just a randomly occurring bad year, or does it indicate safety problems like a warning on a Shewhart (quality control) chart? I'd say it is too early to tell where this may or may not lead. 

It is a tragedy and we all send our condolences to victims' families.

Having said that, 

First, nature is still in control in most cases of power and therefore it has to be our utmost effort to either avoid such encounters of powers of nature or enable technology to overcome such powers to minimize such tragedies.

Second, flight technology should upgrade itself to record information on the ground, what the black box is recording in the plane and also be able to make the black box activated remotely to respond to a connection effort so that a lost plane is easily found. 

Three accidents in a row is too heavy! There should be done what is necessary to secure aviation, without being very hard for the travellers.

Furthermore we lately have a see accident in the Adriatic! 

Let's hope for the best, dear Sardar!

I feel that technical solutions are available which will ensure augmented tracking and enhanced situational awareness. I feel that part of the trouble is the profit centered optimization and the constant desire to deregulate. A very strong public outcry is required to precipitate this desired change in equipage and subsequently operational doctrines. I call on all of our colleagues in the scientific community to demand a thorough exploration of lessons learned followed by determined and effective action. I'd be pleased to add 5%-10%  to the cost of my flight ticket knowing that I'm paying the extra premium towards a cause which minimizes the number of such painful air mysteries.   

It's high time for the aviation experts come up an alternate solution which should aid in tracking a jet even if the signal is lost.

On the same day, i.e. Dec 29, 2014 when the world's attention was focused on the AirAsia QZ8501, another jet in the skies of Southern England was making a desperate attempt to touch the ground safely after discovering a problem with part of its main landing gear & carried out a non standard landing.

A Virgin Atlantic passenger plane VS43 has landed safely at London's Gatwick Airport after discovering a problem with part of its main landing gear. Virgin flight VS43 with 447 passengers and 15 crew was travelling from Gatwick to Las Vegas when it had to return. The Boeing 747 circled over southern England for several hours dumping fuel before making a bumpy but safe landing just before 16:00 GMT.

Lucky VS43! Thanks to the almighty God who saved 447 passengers & 15 crew on board. Not all flights get a happy fortune.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30625945

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30625879

This chart show statistics until July 2014. 'In Ukraine, the shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on July 17 killed all 298 aboard. Wednesday's crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 222 killed 48 in Taiwan, and on Thursday, Air Algerie Flight 5017 crashed in Mali, leaving at least 116 dead.  Then there's the unexplained loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, with 239 aboard, in March.'  And in this week, another 162 persons lost their lives on QZ8501.

Although 2014 may not be considered the worst in aviation history, we should learn our lessons not to challenge nature.  Are postponed flights such great inconveniences, that we sacrifice human lives?  Can we review our priorities in 2015.  I wish all of us a SAFE and prosperous new year 2015.

(@Sardar and friends, thank God for VS43!)

http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2014/07/travel/aviation-data/

Every time I hear or see on TV an air accident, I become angry & sad about the human loss in the first place. My anger is directed towards those who direct R& D funds towards military power generously but they do not support R&D  adequately on civil aviation. The airplane body can be changed from aluminum into an elastomer which combines strength with flexibility. Therefore, when the airplane falls, it will just bounce as a football several times until bouncing subsides and then fades. After that, all will be well most probably while material loss is the only casuality.

By using next database:

http://aviation-safety.net/statistics/worst/worst.php?list=worstcoll

we have the attached plot.

2014 is not the worst year.

Dear Barbara and all, Airasia has a good safety record for all these years until now. It’s the favourite airline that many of us can afford. So we use it, it’s practical, no frills and no unnecessary expenses. The last time I flew to Penang, I paid about RM118 (including insurance). Tomorrow, my neighbour is flying back to Penang on Airasia to visit his parents. [We have to be practical. 1 USD = RM3.40]

http://www.airlineratings.com/ratings/166/airasia-x

Dear Sardar and all, the boss of Airasia is Tony Fernandez, a good friend of Branson who owns Virgin airways. Once they had a bet, and Branson lost. Branson was truly sporting. He got into the attire of the air hostess of Airasia, and served as a air hostess, complete with high heels and lipstick! So even tycoons know how to be good friends and honor their bets :)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2323292/Sir-Richard-Branson-dresses-drag-losing-bet-AirAsia-chief.html

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/dec/28/tony-fernandes-airasia-tycoon

@ Dear Miranda & Demetrics,

The graph indicates the higher rate of accidents in the years 1960 -1995, wherein the planes were designed with limited technology. Believing in the present century the aviation industry has an access to advanced features & sophisticated jets, for me its a worse year to come across with back-back similar kind of incidents in the air.

Dear Miranda I strongly agree, precautions should be taken not to challenge the nature.

@Sardar and all, sometimes I wonder why there are technical errors with our aircraft, recently it was transponders, landing gear.  I wonder if the persons whose job it is to take care of these things are being careful, careless, overworked??

It was actually Ljubomir who said we shouldn't challenge nature...but we all agree with him.

Yet, how thankful we all are about VS043: 'A pilot praised for the way he landed a Virgin Atlantic jet at London's Gatwick Airport after discovering a problem with its landing gear has spoken about the incident for the first time.  David Williams said in a statement that he was just doing his job, but admitted the landing was "out of the ordinary".

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30639721

In answer to dear Dr. Miranda's question ( I wonder why there are technical errors with our aircraft ?): Sometimes, our boasting & bragging about scientific progress is empty. The small housefly or the bee is really an aircraft. Have we ever seen a fly or a bee falling due to technical error ?!  Just an extra R&D funding & an effort to civil aviation & these problems will be solved.

This is worse than the Bermuda Triangle! In that area of the sea from 1800 onwards numerous episodes of unexplained disappearances of ships and aircraft would have occurred,. The Bermuda Triangle is also dubbed the Triangle of Doom or Devil's Triangle.

We hope that these tragic events in the new year (not only for this tragedy, but also for other like that just occurred in the sea that separates Italy from Albania) are reduced and that we can look to the future with less apprehension.

The answer to your question "why there are technical errors with our aircraft" @ Dear Miranda is due to lack of proper/schedule maintenance. "Commercialized Airlines" are more and more keen to make more profits by keeping their jets on air by attempting not to taxi it for a longer period, resulting in poor maintenance & improper checks before the jet is scheduled for a next flight.

@ Dear Dr. Nizar,

Yes. Dedicated research efforts should be done, by prioritizing the weak areas that needs attention. 

i think that accidents could arise with technical failures, human failures from maintenance or pilots, climate, etc.. Aviation agencies should invest and focus more on the competency and physical abilities of their employees from aviation and maintenance staffs. And should ameliorate their radar systems; loosing the signal of an aircraft with the amount of satellites around the earth is doubtful

Airlines should be left to focus on the quality in the air, not on the air corridors they fly in, which should be guaranteed as safe passage. Contrary to the air operator certificate process in international aviation in general, and certainly in Australia, the US, Canada, Europe and Japan, to think of just a few jurisdictions. The processes make safety the first priority and obligation of a licensed carrier, not ‘quality of product. 

Airlines are not allowed to outsource safety outcomes in general airline practice in those parts of the world where air regulation is widely considered to be meaningful. They can outsource maintenance, they can outsource training, but they can’t outsource outcomes. The commercial priorities over such secondary considerations as to where it is actually safe to fly are not recognised in the major legislative frameworks of much of the developed, indeed less than developed world.

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2014/07/28/mh17-admissions-of-safety-failure-by-malaysia-airlines/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

The accident is a real loss for the human and brings fears and sadness to all of us.

Very true @ Dear Dr. Abedallah, Imagine life, falling down at a speed of 550 Km/HR from a height of 35,000+ feet above the ground rolling like a roller coaster is very scary. May God save all of us from such incidents.

Yes indeed dear @Sardar, it is very scary just to imagine the accident and the suffer of the passengers. May God bless all of us.

It is a bad year for the air travel industry.

On the other hand, the number of people carried by air is unprecedented. With more participations, it is more likely to have accidents. Wars are a contributing factor to air disasters.

It is terrible even to imagine. you remind me  Malaysia Airlines airliner which was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July. such a great sadness

Dear Sardar,

It is a catastrophic incident, regardless of the number of victims, which brings the attention for thorough considerations of air traffic so that it gives more accurate solutions for emergency cases regarding paths and altitudes and its geographical distributions. Minimizing the commercial influence regarding to safety. In other words, strict regulations must be implemented to avoid any conflict between safety factors and commerce.

Below is the link for the

LIVE BLOG: AirAsia flight QZ8501 day 4

Note: Viewers discretion is advised, Images may disturb you.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/live-blog-airasia-flight/1559418.html

https://twitter.com/hashtag/QZ8501?src=hash

Thanks @Umachandran, great link.  ”MH17 was in airspace approved by ICAO [the International Civil Aviation Organisation]. Its flight plan was approved by the Ukrainian authorities, as well as Eurocontrol. Yet still it was brought down, it seems, by a missile,” he said.

”This tragedy has taught us that despite following the guidelines and advice set out by the governing bodies, the skies above certain territories are simply not safe. MH17 has shown us airlines can no longer rely on existing industry bodies for this information.”

'How remorselessly dumb can an airline be? Did Malaysia Airlines in its operational wisdom ever ask what the safety consequences in normal day to day flying would be in terms of a cabin pressure failure in any airliner passing over a war zone?'

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2014/07/28/mh17-admissions-of-safety-failure-by-malaysia-airlines/?wpmp_switcher=mobile

"Footage from the end of Runway 26L as Virgin Atlantic VS43 Boeing 747- 400 G-VROM Jumbo Jet conducts an emergency landing at London's Gatwick Airport (LGW)."

Great work done by the Pilots to bring it down safely. 

http://www.scmp.com/video/world/1670671/virgin-747-makes-dramatic-emergency-landing-london-gatwick

Dear Prof Adeballah, even though we have our fears, we all still need to fly.  My neighbor Amir who teaches Physics flew Airasia to Penang to visit his own parents, and I met his wife just now.  We pray he comes back safely on Sunday.

Dear Margherita, many years ago when I read about Bermuda Triangle, I thought that my country was far away, half a world away. I didn't realize similar dangers would come to my backdoor.

Dear all, one of my good friends worked as an engineer with Malaysian airlines (MAS).  He is a hard working man, and I could see that he was very exhausted and overworked.  Now, some of the (MAS) engineers have moved to work with Emirates in Dubai.

http://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda2_00004e.htm

Dear @Sardar, one may say it is bad year for aviation industry regarding air accidents! But they claim something else: The Airline Industry Is Expecting Its Best Profits Ever In 2014!!! 

Human life is priceless, we have so many victims, but  profit still rules the world !?

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-expect-best-profits-ever-in-2014-2013-12#ixzz3NZnaHquV

Exactly @ Dear Ljubomir, that's what I have said in my recent post on this thread, the increasing travel demand, growth in air passengers is pushing Airlines to compete each other to make more profits, thus compromising the required steps to be adopted for the passengers safety.

Nature demonstrates us more and more frequently its inconceivable yet features and properties lately. Many of them lead to cataclysms in which people are lost. At the contemporary stage of science we may suggest rather fantastic ideas to explain the reasons of the phenomena. Meantime observing the phenomenon we may study the regularities of the process and, therefore, to find some possibilities to avert the most disastrous results of it.

The complete disappearance of the Malaysian plane MH370 allows us to suppose that huge vortex might be developed at the way of its fly, which caught up the plane and buried it into the earth entrails (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265353316_Urgent_hypothesis_on_plane_MH370_disappearance_and_related_problems ).

In the case of the AirAsia QZ8501, the power of the process was, apparently, much feebly marked, but the turbulence developed in the process could be the reason of the catastrophe (among, perhaps, some other accidental factors).

In both the cases just sharp increase of the height of fly of the planes might help them to escape death (see the comments in the discussion https://www.researchgate.net/post/Missing_Malaysia_plane_What_lessons_should_be_learned_in_terms_of_Aviation_Safety_to_avoid_future_catastrophes#54a83ef5d11b8b35688b460f ).

I don’t know the aviatehnology and its possibilities, but the recent accidents demand from the Aviation Safety service, at least, to increase the permissible/adoptable height of flies, e.g. glaciations of planes at very high latitudes should not be insuperable barrier.

Article Urgent hypothesis on plane MH370 disappearance and related problems

Kentucky plane crash: Girl, 7, walks away from wreckage but rest of her family are killed.

Must say she is a brave girl. 

http://us.cnn.com/2015/01/02/us/kentucky-plane-crash/index.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/kentucky-plane-crash-girl-7-4915204

Please pull out the link for the latest developments on AirAsia QZ8501 as the plane search enters second week. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30670378

Dear @Sardar, this is a very recent link I found today.  Sad indeed to read, knowing that all of us must still fly.  (My neighbor Mohammad Amir is flying back later tonight from Penang, where his own parents live.  I pray for his safety.  He drove me to the airport the last time I flew to Penang for a conference.)

http://www.nst.com.my/?gclid=CjwKEAiA5qOlBRDAn8K5qen65joSJADRvlbqtZcreSa7q21lR8KqVJop5LzGuD2qTMPu-ywmv7hJ4xoC9ZHw_wcB

Dear friends, happy new year to all of you, wish you a healthy and prosperous 2015. For saving maximum lives, aircraft should be equipped with automatic passengers parachutes. When the pilot  couldn't avoids the accident, he could action the ejection system of the passengers seats who could switch into parachutes. May be some people wouldn't adapt to this, but maximum lives could be saved.

Another option : the baggage hold could be equipped with some ejected air balloons, where , in case of inevitable accident, passengers could be asked or urged in. Air balloons are may be more safe in case of crash in sea