4 Aviation Myths

A bullet hole in a jet causes everything to be sucked out. The so-called “Goldfinger effect” (named for the title character sucked out the window of his jet in the James Bond film) is patently untrue. A bullet hole could result in a slight decrease in pressure, but it would take a much larger hole to even cause oxygen masks to drop from the ceiling.

When the engines quit, your airplane plummets. When the engines’ thrust is removed from the equation, the wing and control surfaces continue to operate normally. True, jets make lousy gliders, but they fly at high altitudes, resulting in many options for a safe, happy landing—albeit ones that might require cleaning the upholstery.

Today’s jets just about fly themselves. Autopilots and computerized control algorithms can only replay preprogrammed scenarios. And there’s always something new that can happen that isn’t in the database. When the goose poop hits the fanjets, the pilot with his seat-of-the-pants along for the ride has compelling motivation to get creative.

Jets are modern. Propellers are old. Prop blades bite the air with more torque than jets, so they can get more weight off the ground quicker. And modern turboprops are often surprisingly quiet and comfortable inside—think a Range Rover.