EgyptAir vs. bird
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
From Wiki ref Bar-headed geese.
The bar-headed goose is one of the world's highest-flying birds, having been heard flying across Mount Makalu – the fifth highest mountain on earth at 8,481 m (27,825 ft)
Surprisingly, despite predictable tail winds that blow up the Himalayas (in the same direction of travel as the geese), bar-headed geese spurn these winds, waiting for them to die down overnight, when they then undertake the greatest rates of climbing flight ever recorded for a bird, and sustain these climbs rates for hours on end, according to research published in 2011
Studies have found that bar-headed geese breathe more deeply and efficiently under low oxygen conditions, which serves to increase oxygen uptake from the environment. The haemoglobin of their blood has a higher affinity for oxygen compared to low-altitude geese.
The bar-headed goose is one of the world's highest-flying birds, having been heard flying across Mount Makalu – the fifth highest mountain on earth at 8,481 m (27,825 ft)
Surprisingly, despite predictable tail winds that blow up the Himalayas (in the same direction of travel as the geese), bar-headed geese spurn these winds, waiting for them to die down overnight, when they then undertake the greatest rates of climbing flight ever recorded for a bird, and sustain these climbs rates for hours on end, according to research published in 2011
Studies have found that bar-headed geese breathe more deeply and efficiently under low oxygen conditions, which serves to increase oxygen uptake from the environment. The haemoglobin of their blood has a higher affinity for oxygen compared to low-altitude geese.
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How do they breathe at FL300?
When you also think how smart some birds are with their tiny brains, you have to believe these are highly evolved dinosaurs.
Forewarned is Forearmed
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Water fowl and waders frequently fly at night, other species such as Gulls can also be encountered. Sometimes migrating birds can be involved I recall removing bird remains of several birds from an aircraft for identification that were struck at 8000ft over Southampton which turned out to be Redwings which is a Thrush species that winters here in the UK.
In this case identification of the species should be straight forward as there appears to be plenty of remains to analyse including feathers, sometimes the species involved may come as a complete surprise.
In this case identification of the species should be straight forward as there appears to be plenty of remains to analyse including feathers, sometimes the species involved may come as a complete surprise.
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Originally Posted by Ranger 1
Sometimes migrating birds can be involved I recall removing bird remains of several birds from an aircraft for identification that were struck at 8000ft over Southampton which turned out to be Redwings which is a Thrush species that winters here in the UK.
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When we lived in northern New Jersey, I walked our dog at night around 11pm. In the fall of the year it was not unusual to hear Canadian geese flying during their southern migration. I could hear them squawking, but not see them, unless it was a moon lit night as they were flying so high. When I was able to see them, they flew in a V formation, as many as 15-20 birds in that formation. This was years ago and I am not sure they migrate today as they did then.
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When I was in the USAF, my CO was a former F-106 pilot. He said he once ejected after the airplane ingested a Canada goose at FL250...species identification came from a piece of bill found in what was left of the engine.
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When I was in the USAF, my CO was a former F-106 pilot. He said he once ejected after the airplane ingested a Canada goose at FL250...species identification came from a piece of bill found in what was left of the engine.
Just to introduce a bit of levity; many years ago we hit a bloody great bat on take-off from an eastern Italian air force base just as the sun was going down. We were fine but I guess the said bat had a huge headache.
My captain could have been described as an "awkward sod".
One week later, the SFSO (Station Flight Safety Officer) rang him up and reminded him that he had yet to file a Bird Strike Form.
"It wasn't a bird, it was a bat. Bats are mammals and not birds. Send me a Bat Strike Form and I shall fill it in"!
I had many bird strikes in my 55 year flying career. The biggest one was a sea eagle (2 metre wingspan) which hit my starboard wing on final approach to a famous Middle Eastern island. The damage went right through the D Box of the leading edge to the main spar.
The most surprising was at 19,000 ft at night in the descent over northern Germany. We were beneath 8/8ths cloud cover and above 8/8ths cloud cover which beggars the question as to how the bird was navigating.
My captain could have been described as an "awkward sod".
One week later, the SFSO (Station Flight Safety Officer) rang him up and reminded him that he had yet to file a Bird Strike Form.
"It wasn't a bird, it was a bat. Bats are mammals and not birds. Send me a Bat Strike Form and I shall fill it in"!
I had many bird strikes in my 55 year flying career. The biggest one was a sea eagle (2 metre wingspan) which hit my starboard wing on final approach to a famous Middle Eastern island. The damage went right through the D Box of the leading edge to the main spar.
The most surprising was at 19,000 ft at night in the descent over northern Germany. We were beneath 8/8ths cloud cover and above 8/8ths cloud cover which beggars the question as to how the bird was navigating.
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For all the Brits bitching about Canada Geese craping in your parks, denting your aircraft and other sins, this is our revenge for you folks bringing the Starling to Canada! On a more serious note, our 421B took a massive Canada Goose strike a while back whilst overshooting at night having not seen a darned thing at mins.
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"It wasn't a bird, it was a bat. Bats are mammals and not birds. Send me a Bat Strike Form and I shall fill it in"!
I protested that it was a kick, not a bite, but it was the only form she had and by god she was going to fill it out.
--What kind of animal was it?
--A horse.
--Where did the horse bite you?
--It kicked me on the foot.
--Are there tooth marks on your foot?
--No.
--Had the horse had a rabies shot?
And on and on...
Buzzards are big lumps to hit, too. A Trislander in Alderney had a severely dented leading edge in-board of the wing engine after an encounter with one a few years ago (and Tris' take some force to dent!). I am no expert on them, but they seem to be aggressively territorial. When I was a Tris driver, I was taxiing up the grass runway in Alderney and had one blocking my way. He steadfastly refused to move as I approached him, and eventually hopped begrudgingly back just enough to let me past, glaring at me as if to say "This is my patch," Apparently he was un-impressed by G-JOEY's big googley eyes and the the big noisy yellow bird coming towards him!
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At the airport I frequently fly from, there are some of these:

The funny thing is that they seem captivated by the taxi light and they run next to the aircraft (C-172) when we are taxing, I kid you not.
As some of you might know, the proper way to dispose of such nuisance is this:

possibly with a good Barbaresco.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to convince the Airport Mgmt to let me help them improve airport safety at a very reasonable cost for them.
On the other hand, several small airfields here have plenty of hares.
Maybe I could improve safety there...

The funny thing is that they seem captivated by the taxi light and they run next to the aircraft (C-172) when we are taxing, I kid you not.
As some of you might know, the proper way to dispose of such nuisance is this:

possibly with a good Barbaresco.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to convince the Airport Mgmt to let me help them improve airport safety at a very reasonable cost for them.
On the other hand, several small airfields here have plenty of hares.
Maybe I could improve safety there...
Some years ago I remember taking off from IAD at night. Climbing through c. 8,000’ I put the autopilot in by pressing the button. Sometimes there is a bit of a ‘clonk’ as it engages but this time there was a loud bang! Cue much examination of engine instruments, EICAS, PFDs, etc. but everything seemed to be in working order.
As it started to get light mid-Atlantic, the reason for the bang became obvious as daylight revealed blood and guts all over the front windscreens. Amazing coincidence that depressing the switch and hitting the bird happened in the same instant. Also, interesting that a decent size bird was up there in darkness above a cloud layer too.
As it started to get light mid-Atlantic, the reason for the bang became obvious as daylight revealed blood and guts all over the front windscreens. Amazing coincidence that depressing the switch and hitting the bird happened in the same instant. Also, interesting that a decent size bird was up there in darkness above a cloud layer too.