Every flight is a mission...

I love watching flying planes. For years now, I've been looking at planes passing above in the sky. I feel good when I see the bright blinking lights moving through the night sky. I wonder if decades back, anyone had ever imagined that in the 21st century, civilian aircraft will carry millions of individuals across continents and oceans at near-supersonic speeds. I wonder if they had ever thought that colorful blinking lights flying through the night sky will be commonplace in the 21st century...

Screenshots from 'A Tribute to Ethiopian Airlines'

I sometimes think: Even though air-travel has become routine in current times - with thousands of planes flying daily - it (probably) doesn't mean that the complexity and risks associated with it have decreased. Drinks, delicious food, warm hospitality and a multitude of entertainment options might make us forget it, but the truth is that we fly tens of thousands of feet above the earth's surface, where outside air and temperature are unsuitable for human survival, roaring and piercing through the sky at nearly the speed of sound.

Image 1 source; Image 2 source

And so I believe that every flight is a mission. A mission as crucial as a military mission, with safely transporting the set of passengers from destination A to destination B as the objective.

Update (15-May-10 and 1-Jun-10): I watched a few aviation-related videos on YouTube today. The following videos have strengthened my belief that every flight is a mission

1. 747 very late take-off
2. Ilyushin Il-86 late takeoff
3. Amazing take offs at JFK airport
4. Concorde captain changes his mind
5. Crazy dangerous takeoff 767 in severe storm!!
6. Spectacular Take Off CLOSE to the mountains (Juneau, Alaska)
7. Cabin Crew announcement approaching thunderstorm flying at 40,000 feet