National Aviation day is upon us! Time to celebrate everything that’s man-made that helps us lift up in the air (take that, gravity). So why not do it with a cheerful barrage of aviation facts? Here are the ones we deem most interesting.
1. The law demands I include this: in 1987 American Airlines saved $40,000 by removing one olive from first-class salads
In 1987, under Bob Crandall, American Airlines removed one olive from first-class salads – and, by estimates, saved about $40,000 a year; the story has become a classic example of cost-cutting in aviation, though the airline’s exact calculations were never made public.
2. Lufthansa buys over 10 tons of caviar a year, making it the largest single purchaser of fish-eggs
According to Lufthansa itself, from public interviews with its CEO Carsten Spohr in 2013, the airline purchased about 5% of the world’s caviar for first-class service – that is, roughly “ten-plus tons” a year – and was described as the world’s largest caviar buyer; today Lufthansa continues to serve caviar in first class but does not disclose current amounts.
3. Boeing 747-8 is about the fastest airliner (~914 km/h), though a few faster types existed and you’re unlikely to fly them
Boeing 747-8 is indeed one of the fastest passenger airliners in service: its cruising speed is roughly 913–914 km/h. Supersonic legends like the Concorde flew faster, but they are out of service, and private business jets – while they can be faster – don’t belong to mainstream commercial flights.
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4. Approximately 100,000-110,000 commercial flights are operated worldwide each day
This estimate is based on OAG’s global schedules database, which counts scheduled commercial flights around the world. The number varies by season and week but consistently stays in the 100,000–110,000 range per day.
5. The average age of the world’s commercial aircraft fleet is about 15 years
Because of delivery delays and a shortage of new jets, airlines are keeping older aircraft in service longer, so the fleet has “aged” to record levels. Regional differences remain: on average, North America and Europe are older, while the Middle East and parts of Asia are younger. The key trend is the same everywhere: fleet renewal is slowing, and the average age is rising.
6. Replacing pilots’ paper kitbags with tablets saved American Airlines about $1.2 million a year in fuel
Tablets replaced heavy paper manuals and charts (dozens of pounds per crew), and less weight means less fuel burned, which yielded an estimated $1.2 million in savings.
7. KLM is the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name since 1919
In that same year, 1919, Avianca’s history began (then as SCADTA), and it is often called the second-oldest airline still in operation.
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8. Ilya Muromets, from passenger to heavy bomber; Farman F.60 Goliath from bomber to passenger on Paris–London
Igor Sikorsky conceived the Ilya Muromets as a large airliner with a cabin and amenities, but during the war it was converted into a bomber. The French Goliath, by contrast, was developed as a bomber near the end of the war, and when the fighting ended it was quickly refitted for passenger transport; in 1919 it operated regular flights between Paris and London and helped kick-start civil air services in Europe.
9. Passenger flights remain one of the safest ways to travel
With the huge number of flights, serious accidents are very rare. Strict rules, regular inspections, and crew training keep the risk very low. So flying remains safe.
10. Heinrich Kubis, a German, is considered the first flight attendant
The profession emerged on passenger airships: these were people with restaurant experience who were responsible for both service and safety. This experience showed that specially trained personnel were needed on board, and from this role the modern cabin crew service in aviation developed.
Of course, those are not all fun facts you can know about aviation. However, there exist some less-than-fun facts as well, like flight disruptions being a thing. Flight delays, cancellations and overbooking are all too frequent. However, it’s a fact that you can claim up to €600 in-flight compensation – and Skycop can help! File your claim with us and we’ll take care of the hard work while you enjoy the pleasures of aviation!
