The black box is orange—and there are actually two of them. They house the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, instruments vital to airplane crash analyses. But accident investigators cannot rely on the black boxes alone. Beginning with the 1931 Fokker F-10A crash that killed legendary football coach Knute Rockne, this fascinating book provides a behind-the-scenes look at plane wreck investigations. Professor George Bibel shows how forensic experts, scientists, and engineers analyze factors like impact, debris, loading, fire patterns, metallurgy, fracture, crash testing, and human tolerances to determine why planes fall from the sky—and how the information gleaned from accident reconstruction is incorporated into aircraft design and operation to keep commercial aviation as safe as possible.
This volume traces the difficult passage of German society to modernity offering new perspectives on the "German question," largely characterized by the absence of key ideological underpinnings of democracy in the early modern period and a constitutional exceptionalism on the eye of the twentieth century."--BOOK JACKET.
Basic Science and Art of Aircraft Wreckage Reconstruction is a unique title which addresses important aspects of investigating crashes, who does this kind of work, and how a healthy attitude and open mind are required to properly perform investigations. It also discusses what to expect from the on-scene part of the investigation, and the fundamental approaches to common types of wreckage reconstruction. Written by Don Knutson, a veteran of this industry, Basic Science and Art of Aircraft Wreckage Reconstruction is intended for the practitioner, student, or those who are simply curious about how aircraft wreckage is reconstructed. Full references are provided in the various chapters for additional reading and research. Many examples of aircraft crash scenarios and circumstances are presented in a "generic" form but relate to actual investigations, which should prove as a useful investigative resource whether you are an apprentice or an experience professional with a government aviation agency (NTSB, AAIB, FAA, etc.), an aircraft/engine/component manufacturer, military branch, insurance company, law enforcement agency, or a law firm. Basic Science and Art of Aircraft Wreckage Reconstruction is a must-read book for all who are passionate about the subject and want to understand how this activity actually happens in the field.
The reduction of the fire hazard of fuel is critical to improving survivability in impact-survivable aircraft accidents. Despite current fire prevention and mitigation approaches, fuel flammability can overwhelm post-crash fire scenarios. The Workshop on Aviation Fuels with Improved Fire Safety was held November 19-20, 1996 to review the current state of development, technological needs, and promising technology for the future development of aviation fuels that are most resistant to ignition during a crash. This book contains a summary of workshop discussions and 11 presented papers in the areas of fuel and additive technologies, aircraft fuel system requirements, and the characterization of fuel fires.