Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Larry W. Jewell)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Weird Cannon
Message-ID: <1991Mar13.001928.5935@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 13 Mar 91 00:19:28 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 26
Approved: military@att.att.com



From:         "Larry W. Jewell" <JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>

     I recently noticed a posting (and you can't make me say
where) that the U.K. had a "chicken cannon" for testing
airplanes in regards to "bird-proofing".  The concept is just
bizarre enough to have a basis in reality. So...
  1. When was it used,
  2. is it still in use,
  3. does anyone have a good description/specs for the thing,
  4. how did the RSPCA react?
  5. Did/does the U.S. have anything like it.
  6. Have I finally slipped a cog?

[mod.note:  They've been around for a long time.  Their primary use,
I believe, is to throw chickens at velocities typical of the aircraft's
airspeed (or perhaps just takeoff/landing speed ?) to learn how well it
deals with bird strikes in flight.  I know the USA has them, I'd presume
other aircraft manufacturing countries do, as well... else there'd be
a Chicken Gap! 8-)  - Bill ]

========================================================================
"I thought you had this helicopter blessed this morning!"  from "Air
America" a documentary released in 1990.
  Larry W. Jewell                              JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU