Alternate T-38 Transparency Development. Part III. Instructor's Windshield.

摘要

The development of a bird impact resistant T-38 instructor's windshield resulted from recent low level mission usage which significantly increases the danger of sustaining a bird impact and has caused concern within the Air Training Command (ATC) over pilot safety and aircraft survivability. The program has established the existing capability of in-service T-38 instructor's windshields and the maximum capability of the modified instructor's windshield frame and support structure which is based on the production hardware. The modification should provide a minimum capability of a four pound bird at 250 knots; twice the velocity (four times the energy) of the existing capability. This report summarizes the development of the modification, highlighting the design philosophy adopted as a result of the need to balance conflicting and restrictive design requirements. (Author).