A while ago we covered the most dangerous aircraft. Today, we will cover which are the safest aircraft models from history, and which you can still fly on!
Whilst some of these aircraft have been involved in accidents, even some high profile ones, these aircraft have the lowest fatal crash rate per million flights.
If you find yourself flying on one of these aircraft, you know that there’s a strong likelihood you won’t crash!
15. Boeing 757
The 757 was developed with the same technology as the 767. Just like the 767, the 757 is one of the safest aircraft you can fly on!
Just as with the 767, the 757 has been involved in its fair share of aviation accidents. Perhaps the most notable of these was when two Boeing 757-200s were hijacked during 9/11.
Despite this, and the few other aviation accidents, the 757 is one of the safest aircraft models you can fly on!
The largest operators of the 757 are Delta, United and Icelandair. Many 757s are being phased out, in favor of the 787 or the A350. However, these aircraft aren’t going to the aircraft graveyard.
Many of these aircraft are being converted into cargo aircraft, thanks to the fact that the 757 are able to fly transatlantic with a sizable payload. Of these cargo airlines, the largest are UPS, FedEx and DHL.
14. Airbus A321neo
The A321neo is supposed to be the successor to the A320 legacy. It is supposed to be Airbus’ most fuel efficient and largest short haul airliner to date. It is also there to beat the original A320’s safety record (or lack there of!)
Thanks to how new it is, the A321neo hasn’t been involved in any form of aviation accident or incident. This has helped to make the A321neo one of the safest aircraft on the planet!
The largest operators of the A321neo are Vietnam Airlines, ANA, TAP Portugal, China Southern and Hawaiian Airlines. The A321neo is currently being phased into routes previously served by the A321.
13. Boeing 717
The 717 was developed from the MD95 after McDonnell Douglas was bought out by Boeing in 1996. Combining both the MD95 technology and Boeing’s engineering capabilities, the 717 became one of the safest aircraft ever!
The 717 has been involved in five aviation incidents to date. All of these have been non-fatal, and have resulted in no hull losses. The most serious of these accidents have been when there was a ground collision whilst two 717s were taxiing.
Despite these crashes, the fact that there have been no fatalities, makes the 717 incredibly safe! The largest operators of the 717 are Delta, Qantas and Volotea.
Southwest previously operated a fleet of 717s after their purchase of AirTran Airways. However, these aircraft are now leased and currently in service with Delta.
12. Airbus A340
The A340 was developed in tandem with the A330. Despite its commercial failure, alongside the Il-96, the A340 is perhaps one of the safest aircraft currently in service!
The A340 has never been involved in a fatal crash. However, the A340 has been involved in its fair share of accidents.
Most of the accidents have resulted in no serious injuries, however, a few did. The vast majority of these crashes were controlled by the pilot. Of these, many resulted in the aircraft sustaining damage.
However, it was because of these damages that there were no casualties.
The largest operators of the A340 are Lufthansa, South African Airways and Iberia. Most of these are being phased out in favor of the A350 and 787, and those that aren’t being replaced by the A350 or 787 are being replaced by the A330.
11. Embraer ERJ-145
The Embraer ERJ-145 was meant to become the flagship aircraft when it came to short haul travel. It was meant to compete with the CRJ series- especially the Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200.
The ERJ-145 has one of the cleanest records when it comes to safety. The ERJ-145 has never been involved in a fatal crash, and has only been involved in 5 crashes in total.
Of these crashes, no one was seriously hurt. However, in several of these cases, the aircraft itself was severely damaged, and was written off once.
Despite this, the ERJ-175 is considered to be one of the safest regional jets you can fly on and one of the safest aircraft models in the world!
The largest operators of the ERJ-145 are American Airlines, Hop! (Air France), and ExpressJet. The ERJ-145 is slowly being phased out in favor of the ERJ-170/175/190/195.
10. Boeing 787
The 787 is meant to be the flagship of many airlines, and of Boeing in particular. Not only is the 787 seen as the successor of the 747, but also the 757, 767 and the 777-200, as well as the A380 (but that one is debated!)
The 787 is considered to be one of the safest aircraft models currently in service. Whilst it has been involved in 5 aviation accidents, they were all due to faults in the aircraft’s construction that were quickly rectified.
Despite this, the 787 has had no fatal crashes, with the aircraft simply being sent back to Boeing to be fixed.
The largest operators of the 787 are ANA, Etihad, American and United. The 787 is currently being rolled out on routes that were previously served by 747s, 757s amd 767s.
9. Airbus A350
The A350 is Airbus’ answer to the 787. The A350 is meant to be the successor to the A340, A380 and later the A330. Not to mention the 747, 757 and 767 (although this is debated!)
Just as with the 787, the A350 has never been involved in a fatal crash. However, unlike the 787, the A350 hasn’t been involved in any type of aviation incident.
The result has been that the A350 is considered to be one of the safest aircraft models that has been released in recent years!
The largest operators of the A350 are Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The A350 is being rolled out on routes that were previously operated by A340s and the retiring A380s.
8. Bombardier CSeries/A220
The A220 started off as the Bombardier CSeries, however was Bombardier divested itself from the program completely in February 2020 due to liquidity issues.
The A220 however, has not suffered from anything that usually affects production of companies on the brink of bankruptcy. The A220 is one of the safest aircraft on the planet, having never been involved in a fatal crash.
However, that is not to say that the A220 is without problems. In the late summer and early autumn of 2019, the A220 suffered from a series of engine failures, which led to the A220 having to have mandatory engine inspections fleet wide.
The issue was found to be a computer glitch, and was soon updated and fixed by a combined Airbus-Bombardier team.
The largest operators of the A220 are Korean Air, airBaltic, Swiss and Delta. The A220 is slowly being rolled out on routes that were previously serviced by the CRJ-100 and 200s as well as older EMB-135/140/145s too.
7. Boeing 747-8
The 747 is perhaps the most recognizable passenger aircraft on the planet. The newest variant of the 747- the 747-8 is one of the safest aircraft on the planet.
Despite previous 747s having their own issues with crashes, the 747-8 has never had a fatal crash. However, this doesn’t not mean that the 747-8 has been free from incidents.
Although, this has been solely with the cargo variant of the 747-8. The 747-8F has been involved in two incidents. Both of these have been technical faults and were quickly handled by the pilot.
The largest 747-8 operators include Air China, Lufthansa and Korean Air. Lufthansa have already announced that many of their 747-8s may be retired, many Korean Air 747-8s may be turned into cargo aircraft.
The 747-8 has also become a favorite for cargo airlines. Most major cargo airlines, including Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines and UPS Airlines.
6. Airbus A380
The A380 is known for being the largest aircraft in the entire world. However, it is also one of the safest too!
As with many Airbus aircraft, especially those from recent years, the A380 has never had a fatal crash. The A380 has been involved in three accidents, all regarding engine issues that were quickly controlled by the pilot.
Despite these accidents, the fact that the A380 has never had a fatal crash makes it one of the safest aircraft models one can fly on!
The largest operators of the A380 are Emirates, British Airways, Singapore and Qantas. However, many A380s are being retired due to the as yet ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and their lack of profitability.
5. Bombardier CRJ-700
The CRJ-700 has perhaps the rarest honor of any aircraft that has been in service for as long as the CRJ-700 has been.
Not only has the CRJ-700 never had a crash (both fatal and otherwise) but it has also never been in an aviation incident. This gives the CRJ-700 perhaps the most stable title of being the safest aircraft models you could ever fly on!
The largest operators of the CRJ-700 are Delta Connection, SkyWest and PSA Airlines Several smaller regional airline divisions of other major airlines also operate the CRJ-700 too.
4. Boeing 737-800
The 737-800 shouldn’t be confused with the dangerous (and currently grounded) 737 MAX. The 737 MAX is meant to be the replacement (and more fuel efficient variant of the 737) for the 737-800.
Despite the 737 MAX’s high profile crashes, the 737-800 has only had nine fatal crashes. Despite this, the 737-800 is one of the most popular aircraft, and has been used on millions of flights.
As a result, the 737-800 has a crash ratio of 0.06, which is one of the lowest of any aircraft.
The largest operators of the 737-800 are Southwest, Ryanair, United and American. With the grounding of the 737 MAX, many budget airlines have cancelled their MAX orders in place for -800 orders.
3. Airbus A319neo
The A319neo is the re-engineered version of the A319. Mostly, this re-engineering has been to do with the engines and fuel lines in order to make the A319neo more fuel efficient. However, other modifications have been added.
The A319neo is very similar to the CRJ-700, in the sense that it has never been involved in an aviation accident. However, it must be stated that the A319neo is still in its infancy and hasn’t fulfilled much of its orders.
The largest operators of the A319neo are American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways and Easyjet. The A319neo is currently replacing routes previously flown by A320s and A319s.
2. Boeing 767
Both the 757 and 767 were developed in tandem. Thanks to this, both are considered to be some of the safest aircraft that you can fly!
However, the 767 has been involved in several fatal accidents. Many people remember how two 767-200ERs were used during 9/11. Naturally, 9/11 caused hundreds of deaths.
Despite these two high profile crashes, the 767 is still one of the safest aircraft models you can fly on. The 767 family has only a 0.28 crash ratio.
The largest operators of the 767 in the US are Delta and United. However, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) are also major users of the 767. The 767 is currently being phased out in favor of the 787.
1. Embraer E-190
The E-190 was developed to be an extension of the E-170 and was developed in tandem with the E-195.
The E-190 has perhaps one of the most remarkable fatal crash rates. The E-190 has a crash rate of only 0.03! This is something that is incredibly rare, and makes it one of the safest aircraft models on the planet!
However, as the crash rate implies, the E-190 has been involved in three fatal accidents. Despite this, the E-190 is still one of the safest planes in the world!
The largest operators of the E-190 are JetBlue, Aeroméxico Connect and KLM Cityhopper. With the grounding of the 737 MAX, many airlines have added E-190 orders and deliveries to their fleet.
What are the safest aircraft models? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Christian Junker via Flickr.