Did you know that more than 100,000 flights take to the skies every day? Ever wonder what goes on up there and how much you really know about aviation?

Well, there are plenty of interesting facts about flying that aren’t widely known.

Especially if you’re interested in the aviation industry, given below are some truly bizarre factsthat you should definitely know.

1. Aeroplanes Can Fly on Just One Engine and Land with None

Surprising, isn't it? Pilots can actually make sure that the aircraft keeps flying level with just one engine. If both engines of an aircraft go kaput mid-air, the machine's aerodynamic shape allows it to glide for a long distance before landing back safely. This is one of the reasons behind fixed-wing aircraft beingone of the safest modes of transportation.

2. Aeroplanes Are Lightning- Proof

Planes can comfortably withstand lightning. In fact, they are often hit by it! Experts say that lightning strikes an aircraft at least once a year or once per 1000 flying hours. And, yet, this hasn't brought down a single plane in decades. Thanks to exceptional engineering that doesn’t let electricity generated from lightning affect a plane’s working.

3. Crew Dims Cabin Lights for Your Eyes

While you may find dimming of cabin lights annoying, especially at night, this practice can save your life. Most emergencies on an aircraft happen during take-off or landing. By dimming the lights, crew members are preparing your eyes for a potential evacuation if needed, in the dead of night. If your eyes are already adjusted to the darkness outside, you will take less time to jump into action. If they leave the cabin lights on while taking off and landing, it will delay your response and may lead to fatalities on board.

4. At Any Given Time, Thousands of Plane Are in Air

As per FlightAware, a flight-tracking service, about 9,728 planes are in the air at a given time. So, if you had to compare populations, the skies would be the 156th most populous country in the world. And you thought traffic on the roads was bad!

5. Captain and First-Officer Usually Eat Different Meals

As bizarre as it sounds, this unique arrangement ensures passenger and crew safety. Even though serving two different meals is not a DGCA or an FAA rule, most commercial airlines worldwide insist upon it. The apparent reason behind this practice is that in the case of food poisoning, only one pilot is affected, while the other can land the bird back safely.

The Bottom Line

So, now you know a few of the many secrets of aviation. If you’re interested in making a career in this industry, you have many options at your disposal - pilot and cabin crew only being the tip of the iceberg. The real hero of the industry to keep all these machines flying is -Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME).

As countries are trying to slowly bring back normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of planes have started taking to the skies again. Soon enough, it will be thousands, but not before AMEsgive them a seal of approval. As an AME, you will be responsible for an aeroplane's overall health so that it remains airworthy without compromising passenger safety.

This career choice has become popular among many young minds, and for them, the School of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (SAME) offers world-class basic AME training programmes. Our institution is part of the InterGlobe Group that also owns Indigo. So, if you have a vision and passion for a technical career in aviation, reach out to us today!