Also called: Impact Test Engineer, Bird Impact Test Engineer
Fires birds (real or gel) from air cannons at jet engines and windshields to prove airplanes can survive hitting them.
You load a gel "bird" the weight of a goose into a compressed-air cannon aimed at a cockpit windshield. At 400 mph it smashes in a split second while high-speed cameras film. You study the cracks frame by frame and decide if the design passes the FAA rule.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Engineering.
Growing about average. Every new engine, windshield and wing edge must pass bird-strike tests.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Impact simulation reduces test shots, but certification still needs real tests run and judged by people.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Engineering CTE, Chemistry.
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