Who’s Safer: Boeing or Airbus Aircraft?

We recently interviewed Vance Hilderman, the CEO of the AFuzion Incorporated which is the world’s largest aviation safety certification services company.  Yes, we brazenly asked him this very question, “Is Boeing or Airbus safer to fly?”  His answer below was surprising to say the least, and not what we expected …

Mr. Hilderman first asked us if we were concerned about hydrocarbons and global warming. Of course we affirmed we were. He then asked us if we were ashamed to fly since flying produced so much greenhouse gas emissions.  Again we confirmed we were very concerned about aircraft polluting and warming our skies. Being based in Europe where Hilderman was teaching an ARP4754A class (more on that later), he asked us if flying from Paris to Toulouse or Munich to Berlin polluted more than the same route flying.  Obviously we know the answer and told him so:  “Flying 1000 km is much more polluting and harmful than driving.”   Hilderman laughed and said “Of course you think that:  you’ve been programmed by the media whose purpose is Entertainment – glad you were entertained. But you are wrong: the average car with just you driving warms the earth more than you flying a commercial aircraft in Economy.”  He then produced multiple scientific studies that readily prove his words.  (Flying private, or driving with 2+ persons in the car flips the answer he explained.)

Hilderman then went to explain about Boeing versus Airbus. He explained that their safety records are approximately equivalent to each other.  Historically, Mr. Hilderman explained that Boeing has an overall better safety record when considering similar overall timeframes.  Bue we must remember Boeing first flew in 1916 when flying was much less safe and fully manual, versus Airbus’ first flight in 1974 with well-equipped avionics which Boeing also had at that time almost sixty years after Boeing’s first flight. 

Hilderman explained that flight safety has steadily improved, for many reasons including better aircraft designs, automation via avionics, pilot training, added redundancy, and even modern safety/certification regulations and training (Hilderman was in Europe teaching AFuzion’s ARP4754A and ARP4761A training classes). But then he explained that the two recent Boeing 737MAX crashes means that if you simply consider the past decade, then Airbus has a better safety record.  But he explained before we jump to conclusions to please consider that modern flying (including Embraer, Bombardier, Airbus, and Boeing all into the mix) is almost ten times safer than driving Paris to Toulouse, Munich to Berlin, San Francisco to Los Angeles, or almost anywhere; and automotive safety has actually declined due to driving distractions such as cellphones!

So there you have it from the expert:  now, who ya gonna fly, or will you drive? Decisions, decisions!