Birdstrikes - How Often? How Likely?
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I nearly hit one as I rotated taking off from Kirkbride last year. It scared the crap out of me, I seriously thought I was going to hit it (or it was going to hit me). God knows what my PAX thought.
That was in an AA5-B
Here is another near miss with me landing the PA32 at Newtonards last year. Notice the raven near my tail.
That was in an AA5-B
Here is another near miss with me landing the PA32 at Newtonards last year. Notice the raven near my tail.
Migrating ducks cross the Himalayas.
A 747 hit one at 30'000 plus which destroyed it's radome.
Penetrations of perspex screens are not uncommon. For some reason helicopters seem more vulnerable.
A jetranger pilot in the states was hit in the face by a duck which knocked him out. He was saved by the autopilot which remained engaged until he recovered. The duck was recovered from the rear parcel shelf.
If a large bird comes through the screen at 90 knots and hits you in the face a smart pair of shades will not be much use. They might save your eyes from flying perspex shards.
Just out of interest bird strikes on commercial airliners flying into and out of airfields in the UK are an almost daily occurence, particularly in coastal locations. The structure and engines on large aircraft will take the strain.
The slower the aircraft the more time the bird has to move out of the way.
It could be that single engined aircraft are protected by the prop to some extent.
A 747 hit one at 30'000 plus which destroyed it's radome.
Penetrations of perspex screens are not uncommon. For some reason helicopters seem more vulnerable.
A jetranger pilot in the states was hit in the face by a duck which knocked him out. He was saved by the autopilot which remained engaged until he recovered. The duck was recovered from the rear parcel shelf.
If a large bird comes through the screen at 90 knots and hits you in the face a smart pair of shades will not be much use. They might save your eyes from flying perspex shards.
Just out of interest bird strikes on commercial airliners flying into and out of airfields in the UK are an almost daily occurence, particularly in coastal locations. The structure and engines on large aircraft will take the strain.
The slower the aircraft the more time the bird has to move out of the way.
It could be that single engined aircraft are protected by the prop to some extent.
Last edited by ericferret; 13th Apr 2007 at 13:33. Reason: addition
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In the uk....
...there is no such bird as a seagul.
Black headed, common, lesser blackbacked, greater black-backed and herring gulls are wot they're called. Avoid mature herring and gb-b gulls - they hurt.
Blackbirds are not a threat - too small. The black birds seen around airfields are from the genus corvid i.e. Raven, Rook, Crow, Jackdoor or Magpie. In numbers they're probably Rooks. Canny birds corvids.
Geese - canada, Greylag or Brent plus Swans, Heron, Buzzard and Kite are big and can make control difficult after a strike on a light a/c
Plovers inc Lapwings (we used to call them peewits) being winter visitors are less of a risk now.
Flocks of starling seem to love turboprop engine intakes so a Bob Hoover style dead stick landing should always be performed if they are reported. Think how impressed the pax will be
Ducks and Racing pigeons - the Exocets of the bird world. Bang out if hit
But worry not. Chances are slim and of course all licensed aerodromes have an active bird scaring team don't they?
Sir George Cayley
Black headed, common, lesser blackbacked, greater black-backed and herring gulls are wot they're called. Avoid mature herring and gb-b gulls - they hurt.
Blackbirds are not a threat - too small. The black birds seen around airfields are from the genus corvid i.e. Raven, Rook, Crow, Jackdoor or Magpie. In numbers they're probably Rooks. Canny birds corvids.
Geese - canada, Greylag or Brent plus Swans, Heron, Buzzard and Kite are big and can make control difficult after a strike on a light a/c
Plovers inc Lapwings (we used to call them peewits) being winter visitors are less of a risk now.
Flocks of starling seem to love turboprop engine intakes so a Bob Hoover style dead stick landing should always be performed if they are reported. Think how impressed the pax will be
Ducks and Racing pigeons - the Exocets of the bird world. Bang out if hit
But worry not. Chances are slim and of course all licensed aerodromes have an active bird scaring team don't they?
Sir George Cayley
Anyone looked at Tony's thread on JB? http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=271885
Guess the chances are pretty slim, but if it did happen you'd be in a bit of a mess.
I'm not sure of the result between toughned sunglasses vs human eye would be.
Any case studies?
Guess the chances are pretty slim, but if it did happen you'd be in a bit of a mess.
I'm not sure of the result between toughned sunglasses vs human eye would be.
Any case studies?
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House martin on the climb out from Shobdon in a PA 38, dived down to avoid the prop, hit a wheel and the prop wash blew it into an elevator, putting a fist-sized dent in it.
Another club member hit a crow on the climb out from Welshpool, which put a football sized dent in the leading edge of his PA 38.
Another club member hit a crow on the climb out from Welshpool, which put a football sized dent in the leading edge of his PA 38.
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A friend met a pheasant whilst landing a glider; it hit the airbrakes pretty hard.
I had a near miss when landing a 150 in Florida: all forty degrees hanging out, just over the hedge when the sand crane decided to take off. They're BIG. I was pretty much committed and (s)he manoeuvred as best (s)he could. Convinced I could read the expression, it's possibly the only time I could claim true empathy with a bird.
I had a near miss when landing a 150 in Florida: all forty degrees hanging out, just over the hedge when the sand crane decided to take off. They're BIG. I was pretty much committed and (s)he manoeuvred as best (s)he could. Convinced I could read the expression, it's possibly the only time I could claim true empathy with a bird.
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Originally Posted by Cat.S
House martin on the climb out from Shobdon in a PA 38, dived down to avoid the prop, hit a wheel and the prop wash blew it into an elevator, putting a fist-sized dent in it.
Another club member hit a crow on the climb out from Welshpool, which put a football sized dent in the leading edge of his PA 38.
Another club member hit a crow on the climb out from Welshpool, which put a football sized dent in the leading edge of his PA 38.
Tin hat on, coat on, by.
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Not light a/c, but a few years ago now, 12 (not sure of exact number) aircrew lost their lives in a Nimrod shortly after take off from Kinloss (I think).
Encountered a flock of geese that were ingested into intakes.
Rest in Peace.
Encountered a flock of geese that were ingested into intakes.
Rest in Peace.
Gingernut.
An interesting 'aside'.
Contact lenses were developed through post WW2 studies into corneal damage from broken shards of windshield in aircrew. It was noticed that glass fragments caused damage and infection whilst perspex would rarely bring infection with it. Optician told me this a while back.
An interesting 'aside'.
Contact lenses were developed through post WW2 studies into corneal damage from broken shards of windshield in aircrew. It was noticed that glass fragments caused damage and infection whilst perspex would rarely bring infection with it. Optician told me this a while back.
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I've had 1 or 2 strikes in 700hrs, none through the prop yet.
I've seen vultures of some sort at about FL100 over Spain.
If there is any kind of prop damage then its an engine shock load inspection plus prop repair/replacement - very expensive.
I've seen vultures of some sort at about FL100 over Spain.
If there is any kind of prop damage then its an engine shock load inspection plus prop repair/replacement - very expensive.
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The Barrhead Goose is commonly found at altitudes of 30-50,000ft and have been responsible for a few strikes of airliners at high altitudes.
I have had one strike at Orkney with some kind of marine gull (to me it was a seagull but from a previous post I now realise that there is no such thing). Was in the take of roll and a flock of marine gulls flew in front of me, most of them scattered but one (maybe (s)he he didn't see the rotating prop) flew straight through the prop and glanced off the wind shield leaving a smear of blood on the perspex.
Stopped on runway and taxied back, the gull was perfectly sliced in two diagonally across its body, no blood, guts or feathers scattered about. His mates were circling above ready to take advantage of a free meal. I removed the parts from the runway so denying the circling masses of their dinner.
As previous a poster said and from my experience, think it would be difficult for a bird to go straight through the windshield in a SEP as the prop gives you protection and will scatter and disipate any energy between the bird and the windshield.
I have had one strike at Orkney with some kind of marine gull (to me it was a seagull but from a previous post I now realise that there is no such thing). Was in the take of roll and a flock of marine gulls flew in front of me, most of them scattered but one (maybe (s)he he didn't see the rotating prop) flew straight through the prop and glanced off the wind shield leaving a smear of blood on the perspex.
Stopped on runway and taxied back, the gull was perfectly sliced in two diagonally across its body, no blood, guts or feathers scattered about. His mates were circling above ready to take advantage of a free meal. I removed the parts from the runway so denying the circling masses of their dinner.
As previous a poster said and from my experience, think it would be difficult for a bird to go straight through the windshield in a SEP as the prop gives you protection and will scatter and disipate any energy between the bird and the windshield.
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I hit, or rather a Rook hit my windscreen just before Vr when I had 1100 hrs. We were doing about 130kts and it made one hell of a thump (loud enough for cabin crew to ask if everything was alright during initial climb) but fortunately no damage. We saw the bird lift off the runway and then it we knew it was inevitable but it was still a shock!Took this picture later on in the cruise. The flight was my final line check...
I really wouldn't like to meet a bird at higher airspeeds even thought the windscreen is certified...
I really wouldn't like to meet a bird at higher airspeeds even thought the windscreen is certified...
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messy! looks like it was cut in half by the temp probe or wipers?
the biggest scare i had was in an Archer at 8500 ft saw what i though was 2 planes in formation ahead of me, got closer to find they were Pelicans!
fortunately they saw me coming at them from behind, the one on the right dove away and below the wing , but the one on the left turned left then right then left again in rapid fashion (they do have a good roll rate those big pelicans!) it was about this time i though he is going to hit me when he dove quite quickly to the right and disappeared below the leading edge of the wing...
close enough to give me a good scare! and get a good dose of adrenalin in the system!
the biggest scare i had was in an Archer at 8500 ft saw what i though was 2 planes in formation ahead of me, got closer to find they were Pelicans!
fortunately they saw me coming at them from behind, the one on the right dove away and below the wing , but the one on the left turned left then right then left again in rapid fashion (they do have a good roll rate those big pelicans!) it was about this time i though he is going to hit me when he dove quite quickly to the right and disappeared below the leading edge of the wing...
close enough to give me a good scare! and get a good dose of adrenalin in the system!
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Not a bird strike but an amusing incident landing back at EGBO earlier this year with a 152 which had flown from Blackpool and had followed me through Shawbury MATZ and who I hoped was listening but probably wasn't going to spoil the habit of the latter part of the trip, (if you are reading this I am STILL a HER!) 
and was asked to expedite a short backtrack as the 152 was on final. As I landed I saw one of the local buzzards sitting just inside the runway edge where I made a 180 deg turn. Buzzard looked at me for a second or two then hopped politely back over the white line at the edge.
I let the tower know about its presence. A short time later my previous FI landed only to find it sitting in the middle of the runway from where it glared at him and refused to move 
- cue the birdscaring gear from the Fire Department which was eventually effective. 
It did this several times over the next few weeks and on the occasions when I was landing it always moved but still refused to do so for the FIs. I haven't seen it for a week or two but it is probably nesting at the moment.
and was asked to expedite a short backtrack as the 152 was on final. As I landed I saw one of the local buzzards sitting just inside the runway edge where I made a 180 deg turn. Buzzard looked at me for a second or two then hopped politely back over the white line at the edge. I let the tower know about its presence. A short time later my previous FI landed only to find it sitting in the middle of the runway from where it glared at him and refused to move - cue the birdscaring gear from the Fire Department which was eventually effective. It did this several times over the next few weeks and on the occasions when I was landing it always moved but still refused to do so for the FIs. I haven't seen it for a week or two but it is probably nesting at the moment.
