A family of pilots with more than 100 years of collective experience has debunked some of the common myths about flying.
Husband and wife Henry and Haley Brewis, and Henry’s brother Tom Brewis, from Suffolk, all pilots, shared their knowledge on today’s episode of ITV’s This Morning.
The trio have amassed more than 100 years of experience while working at TUI, and the airline allowed the family to fly together to Cancun on International Family Day in May to mark the achievement.
Speaking on today’s show, hosts Ben Shepard and Cat Deeley introduced pilots to some of the biggest flying myths to see if there was any truth behind them.
The pilots covered several topics, including debris disposal on airplanes, the risk lightning poses to flights and whether turbulence is getting worse.
Henry Brewis (pictured left), his wife Haley Brewis (pictured centre) and brother Tom Brewis (pictured right), all TUI pilots, debunked common myths about aviation in the today’s ITV This Morning programme.
Are turbulence getting worse?
First, host Ben asked Henry about turbulence and he stated that some people feel it gets worse during flights.
However, Henry thinks differently: “I don’t think the situation is getting worse. In fact, there is good news in that regard.”
‘The information they have given us to avoid it (turbulence) is improving in recent years.
‘Without getting too technical about it, when we started flying, we had something called a significant weather map, which told us about jet streams and thunderstorms.
“We still understand it, and that’s very good, but… in the last two years… there is a graph that tells us where the turbulence is so we can actively plan for it or get around it.”
“So I’m sure things are getting better and not worse.”
How dangerous are lightning when flying?
Cat then asked Haley if lightning has the power to bring down a plane in mid-flight.
Married couple Tom and Haley, who often travel together as co-pilots on TUI flights, say the turbulence is not getting worse.
Haley said, ‘No, basically. Yes, lightning can strike a plane, but that’s what they’re designed for. There are systems in place to ensure it doesn’t damage the plane, so it’s perfectly safe.’
‘We would turn it around (lightning). We have ultimate control over these things and that’s what we do. We also want a pleasant and comfortable trip.’
Haley added that she has had to divert flights due to bad weather, but it is extremely “rare.”
Is flying safer than driving?
Tom was then asked if flying is safer than driving.
“Of course I do,” he replied. “The most dangerous thing you can do on a day of flying is drive to the airport.”
The trio have worked together for TUI for 100 years. To commemorate the occasion, they flew together to Cancun.
Is the air on airplanes dirty?
Cat then asked, ‘What about the recirculated air? “People say there are so many germs on a plane and they get sick.”
The pilots found little truth in the myth and Henry replied, “For starters, there are very good filters on the plane.”
Haley added: ‘First of all, airplanes are equipped with HEPA filters, and they are standard hospital filters to filter the air.
“The air is recirculated very frequently around the cabin, the air changes are equivalent to those in a hospital operating room.”
Haley added that air is also filtered down and around the sides of the plane, so it doesn’t go over everyone’s heads.
“So, in fact, I think you are much more likely to contract a virus at the local supermarket than on a plane,” he concluded.
Where does human waste go?
Lastly, Ben tried to figure out where human waste goes during a flight. He said: “There is a popular belief that planes can sometimes drop human waste mid-flight.”
Henry debunked the myth, saying, “No, that doesn’t happen.”
And he added: “It goes into a tank and is collected at the end of the flight.”
