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The Chicken Launcher

kyreb1862

Jedi Knight
Offline
It seems the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a unique device for
testing the strength of windshields on airplanes. The device is a gun that launches
a dead chicken at a plane's windshield at approximately the speed the plane flies.

The theory is that if the windshield doesn't crack from the carcass impact, it'll
survive a real collision with a bird during flight. It seems the British were very
interested in this and wanted to test a windshield on a brand new, speedy locomotive
they're developing.

They borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher, loaded the chicken and fired. The
ballistic chicken shattered the windshield, went through the engineer's chair, broke
an instrument panel and embedded itself in the back wall of the engine cab. The
British were stunned and asked the FAA to recheck the test to see if everything was
done correctly.

The FAA reviewed the test thoroughly and had one recommendation: "Use a thawed
chicken."
 
BLIMEY! or DOH! this side of the pond! :smile:
 
I remember that Mythbusters did that on one of their episodes awhile back. I don't remember what they came up with, however. :laugh:
 
The problem on Mythbusters was the windshields they had weren't rated for bird strikes, thawed or otherwise. Made for some good TV though.
 
As Jeff Foxworthy says "I don't remember shooting a chicken cannon on career day cus there would be a line to get in THAT booth."
grin.gif
 
74WannaB said:
I remember that Mythbusters did that on one of their episodes awhile back. I don't remember what they came up with, however. :laugh:

Should I post some bird strike pictures?
 
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