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Old 21st Dec 2022, 20:09
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TowerDog

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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Palm Coast, Florida, USA
Age: 67
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I had a birdstrike right at 100 knots on an empty 747-200 once, in Dhaka, Bangladesh:
Out of the left corner of my eyes I saw a huge bird, the size of a Piper Cherokee, at low speed and low altitude trying to cross the runway in front of the plane, he went under the nose of the plane and I thought we missed him, or her. Then wham, bang and the airplane shook.
We aborted without needing max brakes or max reverse, nice and calm like a walk in the park: Light weight, low speeds, dry and long runway.
We turned off at the next exit, told ATC and asked to hold on the taxiway, then shut down 3 and 4 and sent the inflight mechanic down on the ground to take a look. The bird had impacted the #3 fan and bent several blades out of shape.
Long story short, we spent a day or two at a local hotel, then did a 3-engine ferry flight to Jeddah where new fan blades were waiting for us.
(At this airline every crew was qualified and current for 3 engine ferry, no need to send in the experts)
Probably 1996 as I was a fresh faced and very junior Captain, which is why I was flying a Saudi Hadj to Dhaka in the first place.
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