Frequent flyers may have heard the story of the pilot who, after landing his plane, greeted passengers with the words, “The safest part of your journey is over.” And this is not fiction at all: this is exactly what most air passengers think. Next time you get into a taxi on your way to the airport, think about this: what do you know about the taxi driver in whose hands you entrusted your life? How often has this vehicle been serviced? Look out the window - are all the traffic lights working? Is the road in good condition? What about other drivers? How did they learn to drive? How well did they sleep before driving and did they drink alcohol?

Safety is the body of knowledge about risk translated into practice, and no other mode of transport is as expensive as air in terms of accumulating knowledge about the errors of people and machines. Thus, a mid-air collision at 800 km/h and at an altitude of 9,600 meters is less likely to result in your demise than almost any other mode of transport. From the aircraft's seats, the air in the cabin, to the choice of course and altitude, every decision in commercial aviation is made after careful consideration of how it will affect safety. In general terms, this is the most important thing.

Aircraft design

Over the past 50 years, nearly a billion flight hours have been flown in global commercial aviation, fueling an industry that pays careful attention to recording the continuous flow of information that is used to continuously improve aircraft and engine designs. “We're changing for the better,” says Bill Bozin, vice president of safety for Airbus Americas, explaining that all this information allows engineers to better understand the capabilities of the machines.

“In the old days, wing design was experimental in nature, which was considered the worst possible situation that an aircraft could encounter,” continues Bozin. Manufacturers today know what's really going on, allowing them to make improvements that go beyond design to truly impact safety.

Technologies in the cockpit

Many modern jet planes experienced an innovation: when traditional mechanical control was replaced by electronic control. The following aircraft have fly-by-wire controls: Boeing 777 and 787, and Airbus A330, A340 and A380. With the transition of aircraft from mechanized to computerized controls, gone are the days when you had to apply enough force to pull the steering column towards you, comments Missy Cummings, an associate professor of flight and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a former fighter pilot. US Navy. "We don't need any more brave guys like Chuck Yeager." The modern pilot is an information manager, and technology plays the muscular role in the cockpit.

Global Positioning System (GPS), advanced displays and telecommunications enable flight precision unimaginable in previous eras of air travel. "In the 1950s and 1960s, a fatal aircraft accident occurred every 200,000 flights," says Julie O'Donal, a Boeing spokeswoman. “Today, global safety indicators have improved by more than 10 times, i.e. A fatal aviation accident occurs less than once in 2 million flights.” The reason for these statistics is the instruments in the cockpit that alert pilots when they are approaching the ground or are about to collide with other aircraft. But it’s not just about technical innovations and other gadgets.

Pilot

“Technology is no substitute for experience, skill and insight,” says Chesley Sullenberger, who flew the highly automated Airbus A320 the day he and co-pilot Jeff Skiles landed USAirways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in New York. 155 passengers on the flight were rescued, prompting the event to be called the "Hudson Miracle" - a feat in which, according to Sullenberger, experience, training, ability to predict and focus in difficult conditions played a significant role.

Airlines know how important good pilots and appropriate training, which is why great attention is paid to selection and training. Matthias Kipenberg, a former Lufthansa crew chief, is now the head of Lufthansa's Arizona training center, where many of the German carrier's 5,000 pilots took their first flight. Beginning with single-engine Bonanza aircraft, cadets learn to manage information flows, learn to follow routines and interact with others.

“We are looking for people with good communication skills, leadership potential, teamwork and risk assessment,” says Kipenberg. He noted that Lufthansa “grows its own pilots,” often hiring candidates who do not have any experience, since civil aviation in Europe is an extremely expensive industry, and there are not many experienced promising pilots. In contrast, in the United States, carriers expect that a person must have hundreds of hours of self-accrued flight time before becoming a commercial pilot.

American Airlines and Trans World Airlines, Inc. (which Americanairlines bought in 2001) is looking for pilots who can analyze information clearly and focus. Hugh Schoezel, former vice president of TransWorldAirlines, Inc. Corporate Security has hired hundreds of such pilots. “If the wife has filed for divorce, or the child is on drugs, or the blood tests are bad, pilots may not take this into account. It's not that they don't care, but it's not taken into account when taking off. Not everyone can do this, but almost all pilots can do it.”

Cockpit equipment

Choosing the right pilots is key, and the work environment also affects performance - even control big liners comes from a cabin that is barely larger than the cabin of a medium-sized car. According to Juliana Fox Cumings, a pilot and engineering psychology specialist who has worked with the displays on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the flight controls and displays, although compact, perform a variety of tasks and have been tested to provide the necessary information in a clear and simple manner. circulation form.

“There is an explanation for everything: why this or that control, light bulb, switch has this or that size, shape, location, appearance, material,” comments Cumings. Airplanes fly at any time of the day, so controls must be clearly visible in any light. Additionally, “pilots need to know when they enter information whether it entered the system or not. In case of an error, the system must react in the form feedback. These are just a few of the things we need to consider.” Cockpit design engineers test their work by watching pilots operate in simulators, noting how well the instruments are positioned, whether the displays are easy to see, and how comfortable the seat is to sit during long flights.

Passenger cabin

But what happens on the other side of the cockpit door? Don't laugh, but just as much attention is paid to where you sit. Whether spacious or cramped, first class or economy, every seat on the plane meets the most stringent requirements in terms of durability and head impact protection. Modern armchairs passenger aircraft can withstand 16 times the force of Earth's gravity. “It’s as if the plane was in motion and suddenly stopped. This requires a force 16 times greater than gravity, says David Ess, test engineer at MGA Engineering in Wisconsin. And the seat safety measures don’t end there. The fabrics and seat cushions are made of fire-resistant, non-flammable material and do not emit toxic smoke. Even the seat back parts are tested to eliminate factors leading to death. The cabin insulation is also made of fire-resistant material, and in case of fire, emergency lighting is located close to the door. This makes it easier to find a way out in a smoky cabin, says O'Donal.

The main thing to remember: most aviation accidents do without casualties. (Over the past 10 years, of the 301 incidents worldwide, less than a quarter were fatal). “We can hear the plane losing altitude,” Ess continues. - “We can hear that somewhere a plane rolled out over runway. But for all the cases there are only a few fatalities.”

Air traffic control

Pilots and planes could be the stars of the show commercial aviation, but behind the scenes everything is completely different: the control system air traffic begins to work where aircraft fly along automatically set routes in accordance with GPS, maintaining communication with each other and with the ground. We have come a long way from the days when only maps, boards, pencils and manual calculations were used for navigation. With 28 million flights in the past year, managing such a large and growing number of aircraft efficiently and safely is a daunting task.

“Many aircraft today can fly within a single geographic window so precisely that their horizontal position remains within the wingspan with a vertical deflection less than the height of the tail,” says Ken Shapero, chief commercial officer at GEAviation. As a result of the interaction of airborne and ground systems in the sky, clear route lines are created, deviation from which entails risk.

"Flight path aircraft is set automatically, and for most of the route air traffic controllers only control traffic,” notes Steve Fulton, former pilot, founder of the navigation company Naverus, which became part of GEAviation in 2009. Difficult terrain, low visibility, poor weather– dangers that could cause an airport to close and an aircraft to deviate from its course will no longer create chaos. “Everything is different now,” Fulton says.

Air traffic control in the airport area

The result of security improvements can be seen more clearly on site at the airport. Motion-detection monitors show the movement of any vehicle on the runway, taxiway and at the terminal gate, and air traffic controllers receive warnings of a possible collision. “Security today has reached levels we have never known before,” said Dale Wright, chief security officer for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “The risk is reduced, and this is the most important factor.”

Impact on the economy

In 2008 the influence civil aviation on the world economy was estimated at 3.56 billion dollars. Companies directly related to civil aviation were taken into account, as well as companies that are engaged in scientific and technical solutions to improve safety. Obviously, a lot depends on how correctly everything is done. So the next time your captain welcomes you on board his aircraft, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. Because you now know that the safest part of your journey has begun!

There are a lot of dwarf states in Europe, but the standard of living in them is very high. Residents of these countries are engaged in the tourism business, which brings the main income to the treasury. Which of these dwarf countries are the most popular among tourists from all over the world?
Vatican. Photo: fsamuels/flickr.com

Vatican. This is the most famous dwarf state in the world. There are no analogues to this place on the planet, because the Vatican is the residence of the Pope. In addition, this state is located in the center of another state - Italy. In the heart of Rome is the smallest country in the world, with an area of ​​only 0.44 square meters. kilometers, but there is a bank in the Vatican, Railway, mail. In addition, this state has its own army!

Monaco. This is the second smallest state after the Vatican. The Principality on the Cote d'Azur covers an area of ​​1.96 square meters. kilometer However, tourists are not at all embarrassed by the size of the tiny principality. Only wealthy people come here to relax, because Monaco is a symbol of luxury and wealth. Revenues to the treasury are brought in not only by tourism, but also by real estate and casinos. Monaco's popularity as a tourist destination came about 50 years ago, when actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier. This woman turned a tiny country into one of the most powerful powers.

San Marino. In terms of area it is small state much larger than Monaco and the Vatican. On an area of ​​61 sq. km there is where a simple tourist can roam! Despite its tiny size, this state can be called the most independent in the world. The fact is that San Marino has maintained its independence for fifteen centuries. It is advantageously located on Monte Titano, so few conquerors reached the top. To date historical Center San Marino and the summit famous mountain included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Liechtenstein. Compared to other dwarf states, Liechtenstein is a real giant. Its area is 160 square kilometers, but the country is home to only six thousand people. Residents say they know each other by sight. Like other tiny countries, Liechtenstein has to survive on tourists, of whom there are many all year round. Most of the country's territory is occupied by mountains, the gentle slopes of which are favored by skiers from all over the world. Tens of thousands of tourists come here during the winter months! Almost all residents of Liechtenstein work in the tourism sector. Get to dwarf state possible from Switzerland or Austria.

Malta. It's small Island state also refers to the dwarf countries of Europe. In terms of area (316 square kilometers), Malta is inferior to Andorra and Luxembourg. Although this country is not very big in size, it can boast of an almost ideal climate, beautiful sights and beaches, very tasty cuisine and developed

We provide you with a ranking of the 10 smallest countries in the world. The main criterion for the distribution of places in the ranking is the area of ​​territory that a country occupies. Small countries are just as beautiful and significant as big ones. And this is what these countries are:

Vatican: 0.44 sq. km

Vatican © instagram.com/gabbuino/

The Vatican is the smallest country in the world. This city-state is located inside Rome. It is the seat of the highest leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. Citizens of this state are subjects of the Holy See. The Vatican has a non-profit economy. The bulk of the budget comes from donations. Also, cash receipts to the treasury come from the tourism sector: payment for visits to museums, sale of souvenirs, etc. The Vatican plays a significant role in resolving military conflicts, calling for the preservation of peace.

1. Monaco: 2.02 sq. km

Monaco © instagram.com/gulshatmonaco/

Principality of Monaco. Surely, many have heard about this state thanks to the city of Monte Carlo and its famous casinos. Monaco is located next to France. This country is also known for the Formula 1 championship held here - the Monaco Grand Prix. Tourism is one of the main sources of government income, along with the construction and sale of real estate.

1. Nauru: 21.3 sq. km

Nauru © instagram.com/camropes/

The Republic of Nauru is located on coral island V Pacific Ocean. This country does not have a capital, which makes it unique. One of the main problems of this country is the shortage of fresh water. Flora and fauna are very scarce. The main source of replenishment of the treasury for a long time was the mining of phosphorites, but since the 90s the level of production began to decline, and with it the well-being of the population. Tourism is not developed here due to the severe pollution of the country.

1. Tuvalu: 26 sq. km

Tuvalu © instagram.com/missfree365/

The state of Tuvalu is located on a cluster of atolls and islands and is located in the Pacific Ocean. Destructive cyclones often pass through the islands. Vegetable and animal world The food supply of this state is quite scarce and is represented mainly by animals brought to the islands - pigs, cats, dogs, and plants. The economy of Tuvalu, like other countries in Oceania, is mainly made up of the public sector, and to a minor extent agriculture and fishing.

1. San Marino: 61 sq. km

San Marino © instagram.com/__giulyb/

The Republic of San Marino is located in the southern part of Europe and borders Italy on all sides. San Marino is not only one of the smallest countries in the world, but also the oldest European state, formed back in the 3rd century. This country is located in a mountainous area. The basis of the economy is manufacturing, which accounts for 34% of GDP; the service sector and tourism also play an important role.

1. Liechtenstein: 160 sq. km

Liechtenstein © instagram.com/chocochilli_pl/

The Principality of Liechtenstein is located in Western Europe, bordering Switzerland and Austria. Although this state occupies a small area, it is very beautiful: mountainous landscapes, and also in the western part the most big river Europe - Rhine. Liechtenstein is one of the largest financial centers in the world with a highly developed banking services sector. The country is very high level life and well-being. Liechtenstein is an example of how even one of the smallest countries in the world can occupy a significant place in world politics and economics.

1. Marshall Islands: 181 sq. km

Marshall Islands © instagram.com/earthconic/

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located in the Pacific Ocean. The flora and fauna have been significantly changed by humans, including the nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1954. Therefore, plant species characteristic of this area are practically not found on the islands; others were planted instead. The main sector of the economy is the service sector. Due to undeveloped infrastructure and high prices for transport (flight to the islands), tourism is at the initial stage of development.

1. Saint Kitts and Nevis: 261 sq. km

Saint Kitts and Nevis © instagram.com/elizehrd/

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation located in the east Caribbean Sea. In terms of territory and population, this state is the smallest country in the Western Hemisphere. The main industry that provides the majority of treasury revenue is tourism. Agriculture is poorly developed, mainly sugar cane is grown.

Incredibly varied. Each of them is unique in its own way. However, we are accustomed to the fact that the word “country” implies a vast territory, hundreds of cities and villages. Nevertheless, there are powers in the world with a record small area. Today we will find out which countries are the smallest in area and what features they have.

The Heart of Catholicism

The smallest country in the world by area, known to everyone, is the Vatican. A small but incredibly powerful state is located in the western part of Rome. Since the residence of the Pope is located in the Vatican, this mini-country is the spiritual center of the entire Catholic world.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis are a pair of islands in the Caribbean that are united into one republic. They are of volcanic origin. Length coastline- 135 km. The islands are separated by the Narrows Strait and surrounded by coral reefs.

Power here belongs to the British monarch, who is represented on the island by the Governor-General. The official language is English. total area- 261 sq. km.

Population - more than 50,000 people. Blacks dominate, whose descendants were brought as slaves to the islands. The indigenous inhabitants of the republic were Caribbean Indians, but in the 17th century they were ousted by the British. The latter soon had to cede rights to the islands to the French. In the 80s, Saint Kitts and Nevis gained internal self-government. Status - “state associated with Great Britain”.

Maldives - a piece of paradise

This paradise V Indian Ocean It is also one of the 10 smallest countries in the world by area. 1192 coral islets located near Sri Lanka are distinguished by beautiful scenery and provide all the necessary attributes of a holiday. Today, a tour to the Maldives is not that expensive - about $1,000.

The islands are grouped into a target of 26 atolls. Area - only 300 sq. m, which housed about 400,000 residents. Religion - Islam. It is noteworthy that out of 1192 islets, only 202 of them are inhabited. The rest are incredibly beautiful, uninhabited corners of the tropics. Scientists suggest that they are all of volcanic origin. The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia by area.

The indigenous people are the Dravidians (immigrants from India). In the 5th-7th centuries, Persians and Arabs appeared on the islands.

The official language is Dikhevi. However, in tourist centers Knowledge of English is enough.

Conclusion

So, we found out which country has the smallest area and which powers are among the ten smallest in size. The remaining small states of the world, including island ones, have an area of ​​400 square meters. km or more.