> In a recent issue of Meat & Poultry magazine, editors quoted from
> "Feathers," the publication of the California Poultry Industry
> Federation, telling the following story:
> It seems the US Federal Aviation Administration 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 airplane flies..
> The theory is that if the windshield can withstand the carcass
> test
> impact, it'll survive a real collision with a bird during
> flight..
> Apparently, the British were very interested in this and wanted
> to
> test a windshield on a brand new, high-speed train they were
> developing..
> They borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher, loaded a chicken and
> fired.
> The ballistic chicken not only shattered the windshield, but went
> through the engineer's seat, broke an instrument panel, and was
> imbedded in the back wall of the engine cab. The British were
> stunned
> and asked the FAA to review the test to see if everything was
> done
> correctly..
> The FAA reviewed the data thoroughly and had one recommendation:
> "Use a thawed chicken."
>
I saw this device some years ago at an Air Force installation in Tennessee,
I think it was. This "gun" was given the nickname "rooster booster" I
didn't get to see a test in person, but I imagine it was quite messy. I did
see a video from inside the plane, the canopy deflected several inches
under the impact, but didn't break. Mandatory LBC content: I once had a
large beetle (not a VW, the six legged type) hit me in the forehead while
driving my MGB. Boy, did that sting! Good thing it wasn't one of those
supersonic chickens the FAA has been developing. Or is that KFC?
Calvin Krug
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