The development of a dummy bird for use in bird strike research

Abstract

The problems of using bird carcases in bird strike testing are mentioned and the development of a dummy bird is described. Dummies of wax, wood, flexalkyd foam, emulsion and gelatine were tested, first by impacts on very simple basic target shapes, and then on engine inlet guide vane assemblies. Comparison of the results with those from chicken carcases showed that the foam, emulsion and gelatine dummies were all realistic simulators. The gelatine dummy is recommended because of its successful history of use as a flesh simulator in other types of impact study and because of its cheapness and ease of manufacture. The deflections measured using the special targets agreed quite well with simple theoretical calculations, and approximate values of the friction coefficient of the carcases and dummies were derived from high-speed films and the deflection measurements. The tests on the inlet guide vanes showed that blade damage was approximately proportional to projectile momentum, and that rotation of the (variable) blades even 5° out of the projectile line of flight greatly reduced their damage resistance.