What needs improvement

[Ekiam]

Hi everyone,
I just enrolled in an aircraft engineering course, but they threw me into the second year and I am a bit lost. Now I have to come up with an idea for a project. I can either design something, or make something or just write a paper. Topic: what part of a transport aircraft needs improvement. I'd be thankful for any help.
Any ideas???? Please..........
Cheers:confused:

[cod liver oil]

How about seat tracks!!

They always seem to fill with grit , debris, welcome all sorts of spillage and are very prone to corrosion.

It is not uncommon to see many replaced during a/c overhaul visits. Very time consuming and costly!!

With the exception of heavy inhibiting, I don't really know the solution.

that's my input
rgds

cod

[Ekiam]

Thank you for trying to help me out here. I will think about your idea. Also thought that it is strange that airliners don't have some kind of retractable skies, so that in an emergency they can land on water. Is that just because it would be too expensive, or am I missing something else here? Is that idea too unrealistic? Why doesn't something like that exist? It surely would make an engine failure over the ocean a lot less dangerous.
Any conflicting ideas, please advice!
:)
Cheers guys...

[Bus429]

Ekiam,

Don't wish to discourage you, mate, but projects about fitting skis (I assume you mean skis:O ) won't really do it. Even if theoretically feasible, skis (or floats) would be too expensive and too big. Just look at the size of floats fitted to some single engined Cessnas.
How about looking at issues such as passenger smoke hoods? More passengers have died as a result of smoke inhalation than drowning post-ditching (and there have not been many ditchings, at least not survivable ditchings)

[Wodrick]

While aware of the merits of smoke hoods for the cargo, I feel that they are a non-starter. The civilised population is conditioned, virtually from birth, not to shove it's head into a plastic bag and breath normally. While you can train crew to do it it is a totally different matter for Joe Public. I feel this is why, or at least one of the reasons why, this desirable bit of safety equipment never gets off the ground.