Deer on runway
 

Thought you guys would like this great photo of the RV8 clearing the runway. Buck was right behind her.

Back when I did a study of runway incursions, deer were a significant presence, if I recall correctly.

That's a heck of a picture!! There must be a good meme in there somewhere...

Close call
 

I once had a very close call with a deer when landing at KMFD as a student pilot. I learned a very important lesson about wildlife at airports.

Consider yourself fortunate
 

Take a look at my thread ?Buck meets RV7? and count your blessings! It is looking 50/50 whether mine is declared a total loss.

There is a Beech Baron that flies in and out of Bloomington Indiana; that has had 4 different deer strikes at the Bloomington airport.

Part of the problem is that the departures were most often at dawn and arrivals at dusk.

Caution Bio-Hazard.....

Those pests are regulars at my airport. They are hiding in the woods most of the day and start encroaching toward the runways by the dusk. They are not scared at all. Multiple herds up to dozen animals. I usually bump the throttle quickly several times while over the threshold they move out of the way for a minute then walk back. Every single day from early spring to late autumn. Local pilots learn to live with them, transients get an encounter at least twice a year. There was a student pilot on his x-country solo recently. Stuck for hours waiting for the school mechanic to come and access the damage. Flew away by the end of the day...

Yup
 

That?s why I posted it :)

Deer are getting bored with getting their timing right to hit cars, they've got it down. Airplanes are a new challenge.

I assume its you?? Who took the picture?

The biggest problem I have with them is at night. I landed not to long ago in the dark at my home airport and when I looked left and right of the runway there were herds on both sides. As Vlad pointed out they are not really scared of me until I am close enough that I am afraid they will jump on the airplane rather then away in their then sudden panic... .

Oliver

Deer Crossing
 

Just need to post the deer crossing signs on the ends of the runway. That way they won't cross in the middle.;)

I think DanH provided a solution last summer....
 

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=173224

Given that just 2 days ago a picture of a -7 pooped up that tried to occupy the same space as a buck, it might be considered an act of safety to make a low pass strafing run first to clear all of wildlife from the area!!!

In all seriousness, there are quite a bit of deer at my home field. What are some techniques that others have used to reduce chances of an incident?

Yup
 

Good buddy on side runway. Organized photo shoot with good luck and talented photographer.

During landing and rollout, two fonds started to race my RV-3B. I could swear they were not on the runway during approach. They must have jumped the 4' fence. One of them decided to cross in front of me, didn't make it and got hit with the right wheel fairing which shattered. Had to re-skin the flap and there's still a slight dent on the bottom of the wing.

They are completely crazy, suicidal and unpredictable.

Finn

NASA 3
 

Many years ago a takeoff from Redstone Army Airfield was aborted when a deer ran across the runway just after dawn. Several NASA managers were aboard the very old but very well maintained Gulfstream G-1 (call sign NASA 3) powered by two Rolls Royce turboprops. They were just before rotation speed and it took a lot of skill to keep the airplane on the runway. The deer was killed instantly by one of the props. The passengers were not injured but had to take commercial flights later that day. The engine and propeller required complete teardown and inspection. I was not on that flight but I read the accident report. It was a messy incident.

Went to USAF Safety School in early 2001 got a CD with mishap photos on it, great series of a T-37 vs. deer incident. The Tweet was on landing roll out when Mr Deer decided to dart across the runway. Leading edge of the wing took em' out. Both pilots walked way fine but the jet was messed up pretty good.

how about a deer whistle?
 

This might be a good time to have a deer whistle installed - low tech, low weight but higher drag alternative to the air horn and works all the time (over 35 mph) without pilot input.

Maybe Dan H. could manufacture a retractable platform that would be inserted into the air stream when the flaps went down or the landing lights were on. That way the drag penalty would not be enforced while in cruise flight. Of course, there goes the simplicity benefit. Maybe install inside the air scoops?? Lots of options... lots of trade-offs to consider.

Saw this one on amazon as an example (no previous knowledge so this is not an endorsement)

https://www.amazon.com/Moligh-doll-M...884864&sr=8-14

It'll never be a popular way to go a-hunting.

Fall is the rut season for deer. Crazy hopped up on hormones, looking to get laid. They are also nocturnal, and come out of hiding at dusk, just when they are hard to see.

If at dusk I generally make an inspection pass followed by as many go arounds as needed to clear the deer. Night landings take a bit more work with a couple of inspection passes off to each side before landing.

I think the 7 stars LED landing lights would be a great help.

^^^This. We do this all the time at our little grass strip in central Georgia, especially in the twilight hours. But even with that, I?ve seen them scatter, then come right back 9n the runway before the plane can get back around to land.

Deer courage increasing
 

It could be my bad memory, but I recall back in the day that deer used to be afraid of humans and just about anything that moved. It seems that lately that don't seem to have this fear. Buzzing a runway used to scatter them and you'd struggle to see them anywhere near the strip for a long time. Now they're like "watta ya gonna do about it, airplane?"

Yes, they're using the runway as a grazing area and even sleep on it at night. Driving down the runway at night I have to get within 10-20 feet before they decide to move and reluctantly so. Probably because they're not being hunted enough. Have the hunting seasons shrunk over the years?

As for a deer whistle, some say they work, some say they don't. Even if it would scare them, what are the deer going to do? Come out of the woods, zig-zag down the runway? As I said, they are completely unpredictable.

Perhaps if they were being hunted, Dan's gas gun might be useful. Or a speaker with gun sounds. Or maybe I need to bury small explosive charges down the center of the runway that can be set off by the radio ;)

Finn