Buffalo Crash Puts Pilot Fatigue Under Microscope

With skies safe, officials turn their attention to 'surface threats' on runways

(NEWSER) - "America's skies are the safest they have ever been," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters this week, and the stats back him up: Deaths from accidents in US commercial aviation have plummeted over the last 15 years, with none registered at all in 2011. Aviation officials say they are now turning their attention toward somewhere potentially much deadlier than the skies for commercial aircraft: the ground, and specifically, the runway. More»

14-year-old girl is sole survivor of crash; plane failed 2007 inspection

(NEWSER) - The French government has backed off reports that searchers located one of the black box flight recorders from Yemenia Air Flight 626, the BBC reports. The crash, in which a 14-year-old girl appears to be the sole survivor out of 151 passengers, occurred after the Airbus 310 had aborted its first try at landing, AFP reports. The girl, who lives in Marseilles and was traveling with her mother, suffered no serious injuries and is recovering in a hospital on the Comoros Islands. Earlier reports that a 5-year-old boy had also been rescued were incorrect. More»

Penny-pinching means more flying, on FAA rules dating from '60s

(NEWSER) - Airline pilots are seeing their flying hours approach the federally mandated limit, and many of them have had enough, the Wall Street Journal reports. Safety experts agree that the current regulations, in place since the 1960s, don't reflect current knowledge about the dangers of fatigue. But penny-pinching airlines keep pushing their pilots' limits. More»

To safeguard its first-class passengers' ears, of course!

(NEWSER) - Add this to the list of things elite Virgin Atlantic passengers will soon enjoy: ear comfort. The British airline has retained the services of a "whispering coach" whose job is to make sure that those who book a seat in its forthcoming Upper Class Dream Suite aren't submitted to the horrors of speech over 30 decibels when the lights are dimmed. Normal speech, explains USA Today , generally clocks in between 60 and 70 decibels. More»

Find tickets, new flights, even lounges

(NEWSER) - Every air traveler armed with a smartphone should load up on these five apps, says the Travel section of USA Today:

• SkyScanner (Free): This app will hunt down the best price for your ticket. It scans not only all of the airlines' websites but all of the online travel agencies (Expedia, Priceline) as well.
• Next Flight ($2.99): Yeah, it's relatively pricey, but worth the cost when needed. If your flight is canceled or delayed, or you just plain miss it, the app provides a list of all available flights from all carriers over the next two days. If none are there, it searches for hotels and car rentals.
• Priority Pass (Free): This app supplies a list of all the lounges at your airport. You can look through photos and amenities before deciding whether to shell out money for a pass.