birdstrikes this high ?
 

AA63 B763 - birdstrike report + pictures

spotted this on a local newsgroup discussion about a birdstrike incident and wonder if anyone has had any sightings or strikes at those altitudes here in australia...most I ever passed birds at was 3-4 thousand , anyone seen them as high as this ?

"Some Geese (Bare Headed IIRC) have been recorded above 30,000 on many occasions. There are some Swans that regularly cruise above 20,000 when
migrating as do Mallard and some other ducks. Pelicans have been tracked more than a few times to over 40,000 feet. Those sorts of altitudes are
usually only seen during migration though and the birds tend to vary altitude a LOT to try and keep a tail wind. Hitting a Pelican between the eyes with a large aircraft at more than 30,000 at speed doesn't bear thinking about."

considering the partial pressure of oxygen at those altitudes ,I wonder how an animal expending the energy required to keep flapping etc can stay conscious.

Recently there was UK press comments about an escaped Ruperts ? Vulture which normally lives in Africa. IIRC one if these was involved in a birdstrike at FL370

I have quite regularly seen wedge tailed eagles at FL150.
Them buggas seem to live anywhere between ground level and whatever hight....and theres plenty of em this year......and they're fat too.
I once saw a C180 that had caught one on the tail and it looked like it had hit a truck.........the tail that is.

Got a very large Eagle at 10,000' YPPD-YPKA in a F-28, messed up the whole inside of flow fence leading edge left wing.
Also took out stall vane and creased the skin below the left cockpit window
I was a pax, the noise was a large gun shot and the site of the hole in the wing was not visible in flight, the only exidence was some blood over the top of the wing.
My fellow good guys up front are retired these days.

Sui generus
:D

I think it was Indian Airlines that had an engine failure over the Himilayas (ie 30000 something thousand feet) yonks ago and when they landed and inspected the engine they found what they believe to be eagle remains in the engine!!!!

I believe one of the shuttles (think it was Discovery) had a near miss with a flock of black ducks a few years back while in orbit @ 450 k's amsl.

Heehee SS

EW 146-300 collected 2 Cape Barren Geese at FL180 on climb out from MEL to DPO - One above Captains window - one below F/O window.

If the had been flying correct formation it could have been catastrophic.

Would have wound up in row 16 with much of the F/D crew.

A/C turned back safely to MEL but a near thing.

Give me an F27-200 - saw a major birdtrike on TN997 MEL WNY DPO from the ground one night at WNY - F27 carved through a flock of seagulls on landing. No damage to the aeroplane apart from a great deal of blood and seagull pate on the fuselage.

Nasty bit was FSU asking us to clear the debris from the runway so our aeroplane and AN887 could depart.

Yucko!!

Best all.

EWL

Condors are found over the Andes above FL300.

Sean you naughty boy we must touch base.
:cool:

Wedge-tails are in greater numbers over the WA wheatbelt areas than I've seen in 33 years of flying here. Well known reasons - farmers don't shoot them anymore, and no more chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides being used. Not uncommon to see 4 in the same thermal. Passed one not long back @ 8500 - it sure gets your attention when you passby and receive a baleful look from a big wedgie!

cheers