In recent months, an Alaska Airlines jet lost a door plug mid-flight, and a Japan Airlines plane collided with another aircraft at an airport in Tokyo. Accidents like these are uncommon, but they could help engineers design safer airplanes. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University associate professor Anthony Brickhouse tells WSJ’s Danny Lewis how advanced materials and computer systems could bring flight into a safer future, while making sure human pilots are still part of the equation.

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Further reading:

How Safe Is Flying Today? Answering Your Questions 

Boeing 737 MAX Missing Critical Bolts in Alaska Airlines Blowout, NTSB Says 

Boeing Finds New Problem With 737 MAX Fuselages 

Inside a Flaming Jet, 367 Passengers Had Minutes to Flee. Here’s How They Did It. 

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