Helicopter Birdstrikes ?
 

Have any of you Heli pilots out there had any birdstrikes at all, and is the wearing of a dome with a full face really just habits carried over from the military?

Peter R-B

Yes, smack bang plumb between the eyes on a squirrel, dent in nose section just to port side of centre. The bird, of type unknown was very, very dead. Resounding clunk heard at time of impact. The helmet and visor just meke me feel more comfortable.

Happened 3 weekends ago while starting up a R22. Have some photos if you are interested (cant seem to post them) of the blade and the bird. Didn’t do much damage other than a shallow dent on the topside of the blade, but the entire area was littered with feathers, it looked like a pillow exploded above the R22 when it struck…

1. Whilst training on Gazelles (RN) hit a seagull with Rotor Disc. Made a mess of the metal tip and left me with a serious vibration. I had a helmet on but I recall thinking I should have a parachute fitted and only fly above 3,000ft.
2. North Sea Sk76 Seagull again, hit and cracked the cockpit glass, F/O's side. Felt like a Long way home.

You could go with an ejection seat, I hear those blade synchronization issues are just a rumor. But you could ask LCDR. Terrance "Stump" Johnson, the test pilot for the seat manufacturer .....

:)

No bird hits, bbut did catch a foil potato chip bag on the rotor once at Pompano, felt and sounded worse than it really was.

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Marc

[This message has been edited by RW-1 (edited 29 May 2001).]

Our squadron suffered many birdstrikes in W.Germany in the early 1980's. Mainly swifts, swallows and pigeons usually resulting in minor damage to paint and a few dents. We used to fly with landing lights on to minimise the risk as most birds would avoid us if they could see us. We always used to land on asap to check for damage and then be on our way. Once took a pigeon straight down the no. 2 engine but the Turmo engine didn't even cough - one thing about a strong but basic engine. Lots of feathers and partly cooked meat in the jet pipe but nil damage.

However, the boss had a wood pigeon come through the lower transparency at 140 kts and hit the cyclic square on. He suffered severe bruising of the inner thighs. Would have been much worse if the cyclic hadn't taken the impact.

A colleague hit a seagull in a Gazelle and ended up with a cut head despite helmet and visor.

I once hit a black-eared kite (4 1/2 foot wingspan, weight about 3kgs!) at 150 kts at midnight in the far east. Fortunately it hit the swept-back upper structure just above the windscreen but the impact was severe and I am certain it would have penetrated the glass windscreen.

I was always very glad of my helmet and clear visor. I am now required to fly using just a headset and quite frankly I feel very vulnerable. I would suggest anyone who has the choice opts for the helmet and visor.

Arrived in work a few years ago to find the companies LongRanger with a smashed front window.

Seagull had come straight through the front striking left seated passenger with enough force to break his collarbone.

Head of bird continued and exited through left hand window (another hole).

Rest of bird spread itself EVERYWHERE inside aircraft. Front and rear.

We had to give passengers a freebee another evening!!!

:)

Sparrow got me between the eyes in Canada. It was in a gazelle and I was sat in the back at the time. Luckily I had my visor down. The MK15 pax helmet came out very soon after that. Thanks Taff.

Some guys I worked with hit a fruit bat in a Huey at night, came in through the chin bubble and ended up in their lap.

Also an eagle in the helo training area at Canberra attacked one of our Squirrels one day, just dived right into the disc and forced them to land in a paddock. No airframe damage as I recall, but a truly stuffed eagle.

And once at Wagga I hit a galah with the skids of an AS350, just stunned him and broke a wing so I landed, hopped out and grabbed him in my hat.
Took him home and tamed him - top little fella until he realised he could fly again one day and headed off into the wild blue yonder!

Never had one but examples I know of were a friend took a goose, head on in an AH-1S. Appears front seater was saved because he was on the TSU. It took oout the Rocket Sites and splattered all over the back of the back seat.
Heli-USA AStar had one the other day near Hoover Dam, paint was chipped from a Crow or Buzzard, no damage.

[This message has been edited by B Sousa (edited 30 May 2001).]

Hit one on saturday 23rd whilst on the helilanes (H3) at sunbury, got good responce from Thames radar, divert into Fairoaks with the Fire vehicle in attendance (most impressive!). Blood snot and feathers up the screen (Gazelle) no other damage, although funny smell from my pax?.

Few years ago, Gazelle low level at 120 - seagull hit just left of centre - hit the nav in the rear seat. Luckily (no luck really, it's SOP) he had his visor down. Ended up with dead seagull all over his visor - would have made a hell of a mess of his eyes without said visor. I wouldn't fly without helmet and visor from choice.

Loads, including an owl strike at night which hit the main screen and scared me sh***ess. Keep the visors down, you can't get a class one with no eyeballs!!!!!!!!!

Years ago a friend thought he had dodged the bird. It had hit the right side cockpit ventilation air scoop on top of the UH-1H. Not long later the right seater desired some ventilating air and opened the vent. Blood, guts and feathers shower. Nasty mess.

Several years ago a 727 was on climb out from an Alaskan airfield and it was hit by a salmon which dropped from the claws of a frightened eagle. It made quite a dent over the passenger door on the left side.

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The Cat

Cruising at 2500 over the GOM in a Twinstar. Gull descended from right, I nosed up and banked to pass behind, above and away from his target (shrimpboat culling catch). It hit my 355 bang on the nose cone, punching a disk 12 in. high by 18 wide into the cabin.
If I have a choice, I'll wear a helmet. Won't guarantee surviving a strike, but improves ones chances with managable downside. That's how one survives to be a crusty old aviator, isn't it?

Court Helicopters lost an S61 following a birdstrike, many years ago.

The South African Air Force Puma's had a guard installed in front of the throttles, so that in the event of a bird-strike on the centre windshield, the debris didn't close the throttles. I believe this mod was installed following two accidents where birds caused the machine to crash.

low level, 12o kts, 200 ft, above water... bang....
what a noise..1 big seagull splashed on co-pilots window.. blood..guts.. yuk http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif flying back slowly.. after landing..
found 2nd seagull on aft right hand main wheel strut.. guess we broke up a mating party :)

and our ex safety officer.. shouting ..if you fly below 140 kts.. the birds get out of your way instead of you having to avoid them.. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif guess he didn't know what flying is all about.. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

well lets go flying again this week.. dark nights low level and see what we can avoid this time :)

Seagulls are very much a type of bird to beware of.

Apparently, research has shown that they generally have no airborne predators because of their large size. Also, because they fly in ragged and competitive flocks they are quite used to roughing it with other birds so they don't seem to mind airborne collisions with other seagulls.

In other words they are too stupid to know or care that you are about to make mincemeat of them and may leave it all to you to avoid the mid-air.

The only worse type I can recall is a certain species of hawk in Central America that is so territorial that it will actually "tip in" with wings half-closed to attack anything else it sees as a threat to its patch, including aircraft.

No connection with my user name :)

Went head to head with a flock of ducks a couple of years ago in the Borders. I was No 3 in a 4-ship coming out of a 'Concealed Approach and Departure' in trail (about 50ft, 70 kts at the time). No 1 must have woken them, No 2 spooked them and they appeared in front of me. I took out 4 of them, and put down in the nearest field.

When I went to the nearest farmhouse to use their phone, I explained what had happened. Their response was "Not the ducks in the wood, we have been rearing them for years!" They let us use their phone, but that is as far as the hospitality went!

Apart from lots of blood, guts and feathers, no damage to the cab - so we made a hasty exit!