Can a Plane Just Fall Out of the Sky?

Everything you’ve been told about "air pockets" is a lie, here’s what is actually happening at 35,000 feet

It usually happens at a dinner party.

Someone finds out what I do for a living, and the conversation shifts. They lean in a little closer, lower their voice like they’re about to confess something, and ask: “Can I ask you a question? A real one?”

I already know what’s coming.

“Can a plane just... fall out of the sky?”

They’re not asking about aerodynamics. They’re not looking for a physics lesson. What they’re really asking is: Am I safe up there? Can I trust this thing I don’t understand?

After 25+ years and over 10,000 flight hours, I’ve answered this question more times than I can count. And my answer is always the same.

No. Planes don’t fall out of the sky.

Let me explain why — not with jargon, but with the truth as I’ve lived it.