Submitted By: (Rose Paterson)
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.''
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