Features of the Aircraft Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Features of the Aircraft Design - Essay ExampleAlthough compound materials weigh less than aluminum and have much corrosion resistance, which will lower maintenance, composite materials in like manner have more failure characteristics in high-energy crashes (Langevin, 2003). Composite materials are brittle, and lack plasticity pursual an impact, so that a change in configuration may be needed in an aircraft spirit to ensure that crashworthiness criteria are met. There are load-limiting devices that can be implemented so that the loads familial to passengers during a crash will be minimized. The structural assembly can also be special to decrease transmitted loads. Aircraft subfloor systems can be developed with high-strength materials that hold the passenger seats during impact, and also involve a crushable layer that will absorb energy. The crushable layer is most important in the vertical direction, for ameliorate human tolerance of the impact. This subfloor platform will a lso distribute loads across the fuselage evenly. Energy entrancing seats are also effective at reducing loads transmitted to passengers. A likeness of two similar real- conduct crash events shows that energy absorbing seats and restraint systems can mean the going away between walking away and not surviving (Langevin, 2003). Another aspect of an aircraft designs crashworthiness is its ditchability, or its ability to emergency land in water. There is usually a great loss of life in ditching however statistics show a 60% survivability during ditching (Kebabjian, 2006) - some sources list a much high survivability rate. Intentional ditching of commercial aircraft is rare and often occurs after fuel exhaustion small aircraft ditching is much more common. As far as aircraft design considerations go, large underwing turbofans have been seen as having problematic ditchability (Fall-back System..., 1999). In our aircraft design, engines mounting above or on the wing, and there shouldnt be the same ditchability problem.