One thing we love about flying is that there’s always something new to learn. Can we surprise you with any of these flight trivia facts?
- JFK Airport was originally called Idlewild Airport, from 1948 to 1963. (What’s in a name?)
- KLM was established in 1919, making it the world’s oldest operating airline. (The company is legally known as Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij. We’ll stick with the abbreviation.)
- At Chicago’s O’Hare’s International airport, an aircraft takes off or lands every 37 seconds. (So by the time you’ve read this, another one has taken off or landed.)
- The captain and first officer are required to eat different meals during a flight, in case the meal makes one of them sick. (“What’s the deal with airline food?”)
- According to insurance statistics, airplanes are the second-safest method of transportation. The safest? Elevators! (Good luck getting too far in one, though!)
- Some of our taste buds go numb in-flight because of cabin pressure changes. (That’s why tomato juice only tastes good at high altitudes.)
- At any given time, there are about 61,000 people airborne over the United States. (Hello up there!)
- A Boeing 747 is built from 6 million parts. (And you thought Ikea furniture was bad!)
- Only about 5% of the world’s population have ever been on an airplane. (We want to change this stat, one flight student at a time!)
What are your favorite aviation facts? Drop in and share them with us any time!