Airplanes are some of the most significant examples of human ingenuity on the planet. In a combination of physics and pure force, these massive metal monoliths are able to rise into the sky and soar great distances in a short time. But the safety that passengers feel while flying today was hard-won. While history has been full of some truly devastating disasters, some atrocious airplane accidents have helped the world of aviation to become a safer place.
What are the biggest flight disasters to have caused changes in policy? Click through this gallery to find out.