bird strike

Preventing Bird-Plane Collisions (Bird Strikes) with Bird Proofing

by Alex A. Kecskes on May 21, 2010

According to audio tapes released by the FAA, when US Airways Flight 1549 crash-landed into the Hudson River last year, the aircraft suffered a “double bird strike.” A formation of birds had approached the aircraft while it passed through an altitude of about 3,200 feet. When the aircraft collided with the birds, the windscreen quickly turned dark brown and both engines ingested birds, causing an immediate loss of virtually all thrust. Passengers and crew later reported hearing "very loud bangs" in both engines, then noticed flaming exhaust followed by silence as the odor of unburned fuel filled the cabin. Fortunately, under the expert guidance of the flight crew, the damaged aircraft landed safely and everyone survived.

Reports of airplanes hitting birds rose dramatically in 2009. In fact, bird strikes last year could top 10,000 for the first time, an average of 27 strikes every day. In the first seven months of 2009, at least 57 bird strikes caused serious...Read More >>