PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Anyone else had a bird strike in a light aircraft?
Old 6th Oct 2017, 09:41
  #56 (permalink)  
flugholm
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Germany
Age: 58
Posts: 179
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Berlin-Tempelhof

I hit a pigeon with a PA 18 at Berlin-Tempelhof, just after take-off, altitude 150 ft or so. I saw it a fracture of a second before it went through the prop. I landed immediately and checked the aircraft over. Found no damage (except to the bird). Took off again.

Being a charter customer at this (not exactly cheap) flight school, I usually didn't have to clean the aircraft after flight. In this case I did it voluntarily.

I fly gliders a lot and glider pilot thoroughly enjoy thermalling with birds of prey. Sometimes they are just a few dozen feet away. Usually they look at you when you share the same altitude band. When you get too close for their liking, they look at you angrily and move away - usually down.
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