Another Air Asia flight turned back to Brisbane.
 

These guys just can't cop a break. Looks like bird ingestion.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/airasia-flight-turned-back-to-australia-after-suspected-bird-strike/news-story/567807f3d44f555481127baf07018d24

AirAsia bird strike
 

Air Asia just cant get a break these days. Bird strike on DEP from Gold Coast took out an engine.

"Two bird remains were found on the runway," the company said.

But aviation consultant Neil Hansford called the airline's explanation into question, saying it would take very large birds to cause the level of damage shown in early pictures.

"If I look at the early damage here there's blades missing, which I find a little suspicious," the Strategic Aviation Solutions chairman told ABC Radio Brisbane.

"And I also find suspicious the fact that the airline is saying that they've found carcasses on the runway.

"AirAsia would have had no access to the runway and that would have been something that would have been determined by Gold Coast Airport."

Mr Hansford said he would give more weight to the bird strike theory if it came directly from the airport, which he said was responsible for keeping birds off the runway, or an air safety body.

A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman later confirmed plover carcasses were found at the Gold Coast Airport, where flight D7207 took off around 10.20pm.

"There was evidence on the runway of a birdstrike," spokesman Peter Gibson said.

A Gold Coast Airport spokeswoman said "there is evidence to suggest a suspected bird strike".

"Gold Coast Airport has developed and implemented an extensive wildlife management program," she said, in a statement.

"The airport also has a long-standing relationship with a leading bird strike management specialist, providing technical advice and assistance in active management of wildlife at the airport."

The flight with 345 passengers and 14 crew was diverted to Brisbane and landed safely at 11:33pm.


https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/con...9138205692.jpg

ABC News on top form.

I'm just going to leave it to you people to see if you can find a single accurate sentence in that mess. As SLF, I couldn't find one.

A plover (as mentioned in the original post) weighs around 5-150g, depending on species. Masked lapwings are the largest of the family, and a fat one would be 300g.

Possibilities: A pelican? A plump one might be over 10kg, which would probably do the trick. Again, as ignorant SLF, this sounds like a compressor stall. Seems like a good call to do a straight-in approach to Brisbane - probably closer than a return to Coolangatta.

Anyway, good outcome for everyone except the person who has to pull the giblets out of the fan.

Yeah and this "expert" on the CH2 news also said that there were only two Birds but five loud bangs were heard by the pax......this apparently makes it suspicious.....

What a goose you are Mr Expert....:D

Watch this:----

https://youtu.be/9KhZwsYtNDE

I can't find a source for the story other than just unsubstantiated comments above.

The photo seems to show some foreign material inside the engine.

To me it's a non story

A Virgin Australia plane bound for Proserpine has become the second Queensland flight in 24 hours to be turned around due to a suspected bird strike.

Virgin Australia confirmed flight VA1117 from Brisbane was struck by a bird on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after take-off.

It comes after an AirAsia X plane made an emergency landing at Brisbane Airport late Monday night, with the airline also blaming a bird strike for damaging the engine.

Bird strikes: Two flights from Queensland grounded after impact by birds - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

You have internet I presume, highlight a sentence, and you will figure it out...or perhaps not.

And here:---

AirAsia X incident: Bird strike suspected in turnback to Brisbane - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

pretty good dent there for a plover!

http://i63.tinypic.com/9uw4zt.jpg

We once had a plover go for a stroll into the engine of an A320 landing in HBA. Several blades were damaged and the jet was grounded. Single plover was found on the runway and was tiny.

Neil Hansford, you may not be aware, but after an aircraft reports a possible bird strike, the runway is inspected and confirmation or otherwise is relayed to the pilot. So yes, the airline does not have access to the runway, but certainly has access to the information.

Seems we have a contender.....for GT's position on the media dungheap. Let me guess, the airline in question declined to pay for his valuable consulting expertise at some stage?

I've had atc do a runway inspection after a suspected bird strike and relay the information to me.

Last time I looked at a spur winged plover it was about the size of a smallish chook. Certainly more than 300g I'd have thought.

Standing beside the runway in Christchurch - saw individual plovers take out #1 & #3 on a 747 on takeoff. #1 destroyed, #severe damage - flames from tailpipe, shut down promptly.
About 280t so not major performance probs.

Yeah it dont take much

Remember the tip speeds of the fan blades and think about the impact of a near stationary object. Also think about the mechanical strength of the blades when subject to this impact which is generally well outside the design working stresses on the blade but is catered for to pass certification.
Over the years I've seen some quite small birds do some rather big damage to a few engines.

Five compressor stalls (i.e. "Bangs") doesn't necessarily mean five birds. No correlation at all.

and it might not even be bird ingestion caused in this case.

GT this morning on TV - birds fly into wind, the direction aeroplanes takeoff.
Aeroplanes are a lot quieter now.
Thats why aeroplanes can sneak up on them and they get ingested.
Learn something new every day.

I feel like you've missed a grand opportunity to have said, "These guys just can't cop a beak (sic)." :} - Slow Saturday afternoon here....