Planes Don’t Fly People, People Fly People

10/3/2017

By: Jason Elewski

There’s a false narrative spreading around our country about airplanes. With about 87,000 flights occurring in the US every day, there are some critics who say that travel wouldn’t be so easy without planes. Too often do I hear passersby say things like, “There’s no way you could transport 137 people across the country in mere hours without a plane” and “Those things were designed for one thing only and that was to fly people and they fly people everywhere.” Um, excuse me, what about helicopters? Yeah, you don’t have to tell me that the seating capacity doesn’t compare, but what I’m trying to say is that human ingenuity would make intercontinental travel simple and easy even without planes.

Now before you flood the comments section with numbers and statistics about air travel, how about you hear me out? Allow me to expand your narrow flightless views for just a minute. First off, as a plane advocate myself, I know for a fact that just because an airline or individual owns a plane, it doesn’t mean they’re going to use it. Often times planes are used for display or stored for those “just in case” moments. You know what I mean. Second, as of right now, only licensed pilots can fly planes, despite my tireless effort in attempting to overturn that legislation. Finally, full disclosure, I own a shit ton of planes. Of course I could travel other ways if I want, but I simply don’t feel like it. If I suddenly get the itch to fly a few people or maybe even just fly myself, that’s my God-given American right.

Consider this a warning on the dangers of public opinion. If a plane was given credit every time a group of people were transported en masse, we would steal all accountability from the pilot and let’s face it, that pilot would surely find a way to fly hundreds of people at once without a 737.