Rocky - Bird Hazzards

[Jabawocky]

INCREASED BIRD HAZARD (PELICANS)
OVER WATER AT THR RWY 15 AND RWY 33
FROM 12 080245 TO 12 150700 EST



Rumour has it from a VB pax (yeah I know).... a VB flight RTO'd after sucking in a big chook last week.

Amazing it did not make the news with seconds from death headlines.....

[j3pipercub]

It wasn't QF Jaba, hence it didn't make the news...

[rioncentu]

Rocky is just about the birdstrike capital of OZ.

I have a new healthy respect for our winged friends after seeing what one (not a pelican) did to a 172 on climbout recently.

The 172 would be doing what, 80 knots? It made a serious MESS of the leading edge.

I wouldn't like to hit one on decent at double or more that speed.

[Capt Claret]

In '95 a DH8 on descent into Broome, at about 240 kias, hit an eagle. The bird went through the wing to fuse fairing, bending the wing spar backwards, cracking one or both spar caps, taking out all the engine indications for the left engine, and requiring a Bombardier repair team's considerable efforts over several months to affect a repair. The aircraft is still flying.

The Bundy Air Ambulance (Titan BUY) hit a bird on descent into Eidsvold/Gayndah/some where over there, in the late 80's and flattened a section of the outboard leading edge back to the spar.

[Jamair]

Hey Clarrie, intimately familiar with the BUY incident at Wondai.....:}

Dubbo's brand new RFDS B200 was grounded recently after smacking a kite hawk with the left wingtip and I recall a Dash 8 at Roma in 2002 or thereabouts copping a smashed pilot-side windscreen after going one-on-one with a bird....a plover I think?

They don't weigh much but when you apply the E=MC2 principle they can sure do some damage. 'Course, dont expect Jaba will have too much to worry about....most of the birds would outrun the Retard Vehicle....:E

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p271/jamair_photos/buggeredbudgie.jpg

[Capn Bloggs]

The pelican that caused this at Rocky in the 90s came off second best, although NJR was on the ground for a few days! :ouch:

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w334/capnbloggs/19931002PelicanStrikeRockycropped.jpg

It did prove that 146 birdstrikes are not only on the trailing edge of the wing.:}