As has been widely reported in the media today, an A320 operated by Germanwings (the low-cost subsidiary of Lufthansa) has crashed in the French alps. The aircraft was carrying 150 people including the crew. As reported by The Telegraph in the UK, this is the first plane crash of a western European air carrier since 2009 when an Air France A330 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. The shock of this tragedy is amplified by this fact. It has been nearly 6 years since the last crash of a western European carrier. While we grieve with the family and friends of the victims, we can also acknowledge that the rarity of this event is the result of constant efforts by the aerospace industry to improve safety.