From 2017 to 2021, KRD Sicherheitstechnik GmbH developed bird strike-proof cockpit windows for the high-speed Airbus RACER helicopter with its project partners, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) – Institute for Design and Structure Technology and the University of Stuttgart – Institute for Aircraft Construction (IFB).

RACER stands for Rapid and Cost-Effective Rotorcraft, which as a technology demonstrator aims for speeds of up to 400 km/h. The RACER is funded as part of the EU aeronautics research programme Clean Sky 2 and is being developed jointly by over 40 suppliers from 13 countries under the leadership of Airbus Helicopters. The first flight is expected in 2022.

KRD led the cockpit window consortium under the Clean Sky 2 project acronym WIMPER (Windshield with improved bird-strike, erosion, de-fogging, de-icing and IR Performance). The focal points of the joint project were the design activities, material and component tests, simulations, approval documentation and the manufacture of the panes.

The polycarbonate cockpit windows developed offer protection against bird strikes at high speeds, high abrasion resistance with distortion-free visibility and a low overall weight. Another project success was the development of functional coatings that enable anti-fog and anti-ice properties for complex panes.