A neo-Jacobin

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Let's celebrate the freedom of flight

At a time when hundreds of miserable anti-flying protestors are descending on Heathrow airport at it's most busiest time of the year, hell bent on causing disruption - I think it’s high time we start to combat such eco-puritanism by celebrating our freedom to fly

As far as I’m concerned, what I’ve always found completely astonishing, is the fact that a machine of such size, weight and power, can transport me over great distances, at such high speeds, in the most inhospitable environment, with such safety, and at such a cheap price - that, in mine eye, can never be 'unethical', on the contrary, to me, that is nothing short of a miracle.

I’m constantly struck by how blasé most people appear to be when it comes to aviation safety, coupled with their low prices. I was at Heathrow airport only a week ago waiting for my £54 return flight to Shannon airport in Ireland with my fiancée, we always grab a coffee at the Costa Coffee, then sit by the windows so we can read, or watch the planes land. I’m constantly astounded each time I see one of those giant machines come swooping down from the clouds and touching down so smoothly on the runway.

I always find it heartening to know that modern flying has developed into the safest form of mass travel known to mankind. Indeed, the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency, Patrick Goudou reassured his audience at a recent EU/US International Aviation Safety Conference in Prague that ‘aviation remains the safest mode of travel’. The latest safety report from the International Air Transport Association also confirms that when aviation safety is concerned, Western-built jets are amongst the safest in the world with only one accident per 1.5 million flights – that is certainly a tremendously low accident rate by any stretch of the imagination, especially for something as complex as flying.

Even after having to endure all of Heathrow’s strict and tedious security procedures, nothing it seems can be more thrilling than the moment when your jet arrives at the runway, the engines are put into full thrust and you accelerate to a speed of 160 mph in three seconds flat, and off you go. Even though I might only have a rudimentary understanding of the science involved in flying, I still find myself astounded by the sight of the disappearing ground at Heathrow, and the rapid approach of the clouds – I think it’s about as close to miraculous as it will ever get.

Happy holidays to you all!

Labels: Aviation, Human progress, Social Development

Friday, June 29, 2007

Global warming: two word argument for doing sweet FA

The current debate surrounding global warming and climate change is enough to cause steam to come out of my ears - indeed, these days, the very mention of the words 'global warming' is more than enough to make me go out and buy a second-hand Colt 1911, with extra clips.

What I really hate is the fact that when any eco-worrier utters the words 'global warming' what they really want is the whole of humanity to just stop everything it’s doing - what the greens really desire is for everything to be put on hold, or worse, to be frozen to a stand-still. For example, every time we need to build new roads, the miserable greens shout 'No - what about global warming?' Every time we need to expand our airports, again we hear 'No - what about global warming?' Every time we need new power stations, 'oh no - what about global warming'? Every time we need new desalination plants, 'err no - what about global warming'?

The self-righteous crusade to fight global warming has become the number one argument for doing next to nothing - however, even if the greens are scientifically correct (which is still highly debatable), humanity cannot hope to solve any of it's problems simply by being in a state of stasis - if anything, history shows us that growth and rapid development equips humanity so it can, at the very least cope with anything that is thrown at it.

Labels: Human progress, Social Development