Bird strike tests, analyses, and design optimisation of a tilt-rotor aircraft composite inlet

•Bird impact tests are performed on simple manufactured composite plates.•An FE impact model is constructed and simulated using the impact test results.•The results of the impact tests show good agreement with the FE model.•This method can increase the pace and decrease the cost of aircraft development. Collisions of aircraft with foreign objects are very common phenomena, so they must be anticipated, and their consequences must be individually checked. Since these incidents can result in severe engine damage and the engine is the aircraft's only thrust-providing system, the effect of bird strikes on engine air intakes and similar systems must be investigated and mitigated with special attention. Principally for tilt-rotor convertible aircraft, this effect is crucial in terms of operational safety, flight mechanics and overall aircraft control. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the durability of the composite air intake for a new tilt-rotor aircraft, which is experimentally verified on components of basic geometric shapes such as plate and cylindrical section. Based on computer-supported simulations, which are correlated with the basic tests, the consequences of the impact on the real air-duct were analysed and potentially dangerous regions were found. Sizing and optimisation was carried out and a design improvement proposal was developed.