Small planes, a new trend among travelers, a new concern for authorities

Airplane manufacturers are producing small jet planes, ideal for personal travel and charter, though the safety risks have yet to be determined.

Although statistics claim that it is 4 times safer to fly in a commercial plane than to drive a car, small personal planes or charter planes have an accident rate 7 times higher than automobiles. And in small planes, the fatality rate is also increased. In 2004, the National Transportation Safety Board reported 3464 aviation accidents and 1285 fatalities, a 37% fatality rate.

Now with additional security blocks at international airports, business travelers, wealthy vacationers, and general consumers are choosing small jets and charter flights as an alternative mode of air transportation.

Airplane companies, Eclipse Aviation, Adam Aircraft, and Cessna are taking advantage of this need by manufacturing Very Light Jets (VLJs) as an economic alternative to the hundred-million dollar jet planes. These personal planes or "air taxis" will be more accessible to general consumers and carry more people than small turboprop planes.

In a recent Forbes interview, the founder of Adam Aircraft envisions the future of aviation, "During the next 20 to 40 years we'll see an 'absolute revolution' in transportation. Within ten years, pilots will be able to navigate using 3-D flight displays. Global positioning satellites will permit auto takeoff and landing systems. They will cost $20,000, not millions, and thus will be affordable for personal aviation."

Before we get excited about the future, we need to consider the present safety risks of small planes. These personal planes and charter operations, in the U.S. and abroad, often lack the safety record of large commercial jets. Charter plane operations typically hire young, inexperienced pilots, and with small operations and personnel constraints, these "air taxis" may not be as diligent with maintenance and safety checks.

The biggest concern: by carrying limited insurance, charter plane operations may not be covered to pay damages incurred in an airplane crash, such as loss of life, loss of income, crippling injuries or traumatic stress. The loss of life in a plane crash cannot be replaced.

Legal professionals and aviation specialists want consumers to be aware of these risks before hopping a small plane - whether in the U.S. or on vacation. As the number of charter plane operations increases, activists push for more Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and insurance coverage. It is unknown what is in store for the future of flight.