Nuffnanger :-)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

LT#11 The Aircraft

Why did the men fill the transatlantic passenger jet's fusilage with water?

Clues:
1. It was safe to do so.
2. The jet was not on fire/ a fire risk.
3. Passengers were at risk prior to this being done.
4. It was not an emergency procedure after landing on water.
5. It was not a safety drill.

1 comment:

Ickes said...

It was the earliest days of commercial jet aircraft flight and a few unexplained accidents involving the Comet needed to be investigated. The comet was the first commercial transatlantic passenger jet. It flew higher and faster than all other commercial planes, and was therefore subjected to stresses that other planes had not endured. The main problems came when the pressures in the fusilage were greater than those outside. The design engineers found that this was best stimulated by putting water in the fusilage under pressure. This identified a number of weaknesses in the design, especially around the windows. The findings have made all jet travel much safer.