Bird strike at Heathow
 

Hi all,

I was down at Heathrow early the other morning to get some photos in great light and weather, before I went to a meeting nearby. And I witnessed something that shocked me to death!!

A flock of birds (pidgeons I think) flew up infront of a South African A340 as it crossed the perimeter of the airfield. The birds struck the plane in a huge explosion of feathers etc. None seemed to go into the engine, but birds, feathers and bits of bird were raining down from the sky straight after the plane.

I counted at least 10 birds falling with wings broken, or in pieces!!

I have some photos (not brilliant but you can see the strikes).

Anyone know if this would cause the plane to be non-operational? Or if it would need a check done??

Probably quite minor in the scheme of things, but shocking to watch it happening through the lens, very shocking!!

Here are the photos - I wasn't going for any particular shot, just panning with one eye on the view in camera and one eye on the outside to see where the reference point for me to shoot was. So excuse the composition and marginal blurriness. The shots were fired quickly when I realised what was going to happen,

As you can see, lost of birds and lost of bits. Main strike was central fuselage - the feathers and smear at the front of the wing box faring are where a few hit - but there are some over the wings, under the wings...quite gruesome in the flash. Raining entrails for a few seconds after the hit http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...lies/frown.gif

Anyway here the are full and some crops to the finer points!! Anyone need any other crops, let me know. Click on photos to see them in 1024 wide.

http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200901.jpg
http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200902.jpg
http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200903.jpg
http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200904.jpg
http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200905.jpg
http://www.pumaknight.co.uk/images/MH_LHR_200906.jpg


There are a few other crops that are a little nasty, I have left them out just in case youa re having breakfast :-)

Birds can be very dangerous but the vast majority of bird strikes cause no severe damage. I was on watch in Heathrow Tower waaaay back and we had 210 bird strikes in a couple of minutes. Both runways had to be closed while they cleared the carcasses but the aircraft survived.

Pumaknight, Nice Pics!!!! Birds do cause damages but NOT all the time!!! It depends on the location of the strike (getting in the engine core) and speed of the a/c. I have seen some really nasty birdstrikes grounding the aircraft for days and causing lots of damage, but as mentioned earlier majority of birdstrikes actually dont do much harm!!! And well it all depends on a mix of scenarios and combinations!!!

I recall the testing of the Eurostar's windscreen in the event of striking an airborne creature at 186mph, by firing small chickens at high speed.

Scientists were baffled as to why the windscreen did not stand up to the tests and totally failed.

Turned out that the chickens were not fully defrosted:ugh:

That anecdote has been rolled out for many different aircraft/spacecraft/train types over the years.

I have hearde the partially frozen chicken before as well, but it still made me laugh....never gets old for me at least.

How come you're still alive to post the piccies, then?:ok:

Mr Fixer, i think you are a bit too sanguine about the potential consequences of birdstrikes. Just think what would have happened if the Hudson river had been downtown Manhattan. Birdstrikes are potentially lethal/catastrophic which is why the industry spends so much on trying to minimise them

LOL - personal defib device just like James Bond in Casino Royale!!

Pumaknight

Great photos, I think shots like these are quite rare. I suggest that you watermark these now and then try and push them to a picture agency, you never know they may get a buyer.

I heard a funny story years ago when I worked at AVRO Woodford.

The air cannon at the research facility was primed with a chicken for a windscreen test just before dinner. The staff went for their lunch and returned to continue with the test. The test went well for AVRO but not for the hungry cat that had climbed in the barrel of the cannon !!:eek: