The threats to flight operations of bird and other wildlife strikes have existed since the inception of powered flight. The first bird strike ever recorded was noted by Orville Wright in his diary in 1905.1 As a result, the aviation industry over the years has implemented a variety of mitigation efforts and programs, and developed numerous resources by and for aircraft operators, airframe manufacturers, airports, wildlife experts and government agencies.
One part of the strategy has been to require that aircraft be resistant to bird strike damage. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for example, requires that all exposed aircraft parts be able to withstand an impact at cruise speed with a bird weighing 4.07 lb (1.85 kg).
Ingestion of bird biomass by jet engines has led to fatal crashes involving both commercial and military aircraft. Today’s jet engines must also be able to withstand — that is, to provide some usable thrust, even if decreasing over time, and be shut d…
