Hull loss

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A hull loss is an aviation accident that damages the aircraft beyond economic repair, [1] resulting in a total loss. The term also applies to situations where the aircraft is missing, the search for its wreckage is terminated, or the wreckage is logistically inaccessible. [2]

Contents

The aviation industry uses the metric of "Hull losses per 100,000 flight departures" to measure the relative risk of a given flight or aircraft. [1] There is no official ICAO or NTSB definition. [3]

From 1959 to 2006, 384 of 835 hull losses were non-fatal. [4]

Constructive hull loss takes into account other incidental expenses beyond repair, such as salvage, logistical costs of repairing non-airworthy aircraft within the confines of the incident site, and recertifying the aircraft.

Airlines typically have insurance to cover hull loss. Their policies—like many covering assets that are subject to depreciation—typically pay the insured a formulaic used-item value. A damaged aircraft will often simply be scrapped.[ citation needed ]

Recent discussions within the aviation industry have raised the importance of factoring in new variables such as environmental impact and regulatory restrictions when evaluating constructive hull losses. Additionally, advancements in aircraft salvage technologies have reduced the number of cases classified as total losses by enabling more cost-effective recovery and repair efforts.

History

Number of fatalities from airliners' hull loss accidents per year (1940-2023) Number of fatalities from airliners hull-loss accidents per year.svg
Number of fatalities from airliners' hull loss accidents per year (1940–2023)

In the initial years of aviation (1900s–1920s) hull losses were common due to limited understanding of aerodynamics and aircraft technology. Pioneering aviators like the Wright Brothers and their contemporaries faced numerous accidents and losses. [5]

World War I and World War II extensively used military aircraft, leading to numerous hull losses in combat. [6] The post-war period witnessed the rapid development of commercial aviation. [7] The introduction of pressurized cabins, jet engines, and improved navigation systems reduced the likelihood of hull losses in commercial aviation.[ citation needed ]

The emergence of jet aircraft in the 1950s led to faster, more reliable, and safer aircraft. [8] However, the early years of the jet age also saw some high-profile accidents and hull losses, prompting improvements in training and safety regulations.[ citation needed ]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Barnett, A. (2009). "Chapter 11. Aviation Safety and Security". In Belobaba, P.; Odoni, Amedeo; Barnhart, Cynthia (eds.). The Global Airline Industry. pp. 313–342. doi:10.1002/9780470744734.ch11. ISBN   9780470744734.
  2. Jones, Richard (2011). 20% Chance of Rain: Exploring the Concept of Risk. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-1118116364.
  3. "Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents - Worldwide Operations | 1959-2022" (PDF). Boeing. September 2023. p. 28. Retrieved January 3, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. Rick Darby. "Fewer Fatalities in Hull Loss Accidents" (PDF). Flightsafety.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  5. "1901 to 1910 - The Wilbur and Orville Wright Timeline, 1846 to 1948 - Articles and Essays - Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers at the Library of Congress - Digital Collections". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  6. Ellis, John (1995). World War II: a statistical survey ; the essential facts and figures for all the combatants (Reprinted with corr ed.). New York: Facts on File. ISBN   978-0-8160-2971-6.
  7. "Commercial Aviation at Mid-Century". National Air and Space Museum. November 18, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  8. "The Jet Age". National Air and Space Museum. December 30, 2021. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2023.