Seconds to Disaster by Ray Ronan & Glenn Meade

Wow! What a read. It's going to be hard for me to get on any more MD-80s, 737s, or an Airbus every again. Even though I LOVE airplanes. This book was incredibly insightful. Perfect for an aviation buff such as myself. Having had an "insider view" into some aspects of these things in my career as a mechanic, I felt as though I was getting the full 411 for a change.


I love Air Emergency. I have this sick obsession with airplane crashes. What causes them? Was it mechanical? I think that's partly because in all my aviation career, that possibility was always in the back of my mind, ensuring I did my job carefully. This book brings up many air crashes and disasters, some I watched on that show, some that were new to me. My one and only quibble is the book leads with introducing a flight crew and telling us they crashed, but never do they tell us why. Urgh! I felt teased. If it did reveal the reason, it was so far later, I didn't make the connection.

But...things I learned that blew me away:

Your baby and your child under 7 are NOT safe on commercial planes. Babies on the lap: not safe. The likelihood of your baby surviving in severe turbulence or a rapid brake landing: nil. Seatbelts are made for adults, not children, as it can severely damage their pelvises and abdominal area in a crash. Talk your airline about a "car seat" and NEVER use loop belts. Incredible data was revealed in this.

Fatigue: bad problem. 

Counterfeit parts: Yikes! 

Boeing and their 737 NGs. Wow. This chapter talks about a major scandal and cover up regarding parts Boeing bought from a company... The company claimed they were computer made when in reality, they were man made with sharpie markers and hand saws and you have aircraft flying around that shouldn't be. This chapter was my favorite. Very revealing.

It talked about how the big airlines to save money are not really hiring mechanics, but people off the street with one mechanic supervising, training them for a mere specialty.....Been there. *nods*

And oh, also, how the engine air is circulating through the aircraft with oil fumes in it so we breathe that stuff in. Flight crews often have a high rate of cancer because of this.

A very eye-opening book. The last chapter is about how YOU can make flying safe for yourself.

Four bikes. Wish the crashes had been better explained. I bought this on Amazon. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in aviation or those who fly often.