Air-crash in Mangalore. Another incident that caused a lot of pain. Such accidents can happen with anyone anytime. Could they be avoided?
Almost all the reports of planes crashing suggest that fire caused by burning fuel is the biggest reason of fatalities. This made me think. Jet engines no doubt are the simplest and most efficient engines found by man till now. But I don't feel that any radical advancement has been made in the aircraft design since they were first incorporated. This leads to another question. Have the airline players thought anything beyond the realm of making their jets bigger in size?
No doubt passenger safety is a priority for this industry as one crash can lead to death of scores of people. But has anybody what could prevent people from being reduced to charcoal?
I think that the next step should be in the direction of fuel technology. The fuel used in airplanes is a very high grade kerosene which is very inflammable. With the quantity that is required to complete a flight it turn an airplane into a very well controlled missile.
Below are some suggestions from an aware layman's perspective:
Research should be funded in the direction of creating a fuel whose flash point is very high so that combustion can occur only inside the engines. Initially to heat up some lighter fuel could be used. Some what like in space crafts where solid fuel is used. This way in case of a crash the fuel tank should not burst. Lets think this from another direction. A chemical should be developed and kept inside the fuel tank in a special chamber. In case of an impact it could be released to render the fuel ineffective.
During a flight a passenger is prepared for a landing in water with flotation device and stuff. Little can be done if the plane catches fire. Can something be done to protect passengers from the impact of blast? I think the passenger compartment should be made strong enough to at least absorb the effect of the initial flare. This would give people a few crucial minutes to think and do something. Like sprinklers in a building foam sprinklers could be provided.
I have no idea of what is happening inside the walled hi-tech labs of the airline industry but I urge them to energize their common sense and do something soon enough as the actual loss of one such crash can never be estimated.
Monday, May 24, 2010
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