VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics

  #1  
Old 08-23-2010, 03:10 PM
MSFT-1's Avatar
MSFT-1 MSFT-1 is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 276
Default Owls and other ideas

Over the last few months I have been using my airplane to commute on a regular basis. This means it sits outside a whole lot more than it used to. One of the bigger problems is birds sitting on it (mostly on the vertical stab) and cr*pping all over the place.

I have seen other airplanes with fake owls on them to scare other birds away. Do they work? Anyone have any actual experience with preventing birds from cr*pping all over your airplane?

thanks,
__________________
Bruce
Richmond, VA (KFCI)
RV-10 (520+ hours since first flight in Nov 07)
RV-8 (500 hours, sold Sept 07)
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-23-2010, 04:09 PM
FresnoR's Avatar
FresnoR FresnoR is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 479
Default

Sorry, no answer to your question, but it reminds me of a comic I read the other day:

__________________
Rick from Fresno
RV-7A


The art to flying lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-23-2010, 06:24 PM
sf3543 sf3543 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,024
Default I used to use

a rubber snake. It worked pretty good, but you need to move it around as often as you can or the birds get used to it and ignore it.
Good luck.
__________________
Steve Formhals
A&P, Tech Counselor & Flight Advisor
RV3B
RV8
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-23-2010, 06:43 PM
Sig600 Sig600 is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KRTS
Posts: 1,798
Default

Get a piece of foam tubing (like you used to find to protect your groin on a bicycle frame) and make a slit down one side so that it can hug the upper edge of the stab. Push tooth picks through and glue them in place. I made one of these to keep birds off my bosses old 58 Baron. Worked wonders, and if I was going to be there for a few days I'd just tape it down with some blue painters tape that wouldn't pull the paint up.

There are probably a bunch of people here that can come up with a better engineered product than me, but it worked like a charm.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-23-2010, 07:23 PM
Ironflight's Avatar
Ironflight Ironflight is offline
VAF Moderator / Line Boy
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
Default

Fake owls? I have seen them used numerous times - and usually they are covered in bird poop.....
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-24-2010, 05:53 AM
Louise Hose's Avatar
Louise Hose Louise Hose is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton, Nevada --- A34
Posts: 1,464
Default The owl idea is flawed....

Owls are nocturnal and most pooping birds are out during daylight hours. Thus, I understand, the owl figures don't work as they are predators of the birds that concern you. Perhaps a hawk or eagle would do better. But, it sounds like you've been given a better idea.
__________________
Louise Hose, Editor of The Homebuilder's Portal by KITPLANES
RV3B, NX13PL "Tsamsiyu" co-builder, TMXIO-320, test platform Legacy G3X/TruTrak avionics suite
RV-6 ?Mikey? (purchased flying) ? Garmin test platform (G3X Touch, GS28 autopilot servos, GTN650 GPS/Nav/Comm,
GNC255 Nav/Com, GA240 audio panel)
RV8, N188PD "Valkyrie" (by marriage)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-24-2010, 06:25 AM
n981ms's Avatar
n981ms n981ms is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Dublin, GA
Posts: 256
Default

I saw recent article where an owl was used on a Bonanza with a scarf around neck to blow in the breeze.
__________________
Maxwell Duke
Kitfox S6/TD/IO240/SteamIFR Built it
RV10 IO540/AFS5600x3 Bought it
CH750 O200/AFS5500. Built it with 7 friends. DAR-Vic Syracuse
Maule M7-235C Sold it(kind of miss it)
VAF paid 5/2017
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-24-2010, 07:20 AM
bhassel's Avatar
bhassel bhassel is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 963
Default

Owls are frequently used on our flat roof tops out here in the desert southwest. Those roofs that have them seem to require less bird repair than those that don't.

We have the ocassional robins & sparrows and lot's large ravens, hawks, etc. so it seems to cover a cross section of birds.

Bob
__________________
Bob Hassel
NM


Subscription Paid for 2020

Home is where the hanger is...
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-24-2010, 07:20 AM
sbal0906's Avatar
sbal0906 sbal0906 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Posts: 214
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sig600 View Post
Get a piece of foam tubing (like you used to find to protect your groin on a bicycle frame) and make a slit down one side so that it can hug the upper edge of the stab. Push tooth picks through and glue them in place. I made one of these to keep birds off my bosses old 58 Baron. Worked wonders, and if I was going to be there for a few days I'd just tape it down with some blue painters tape that wouldn't pull the paint up.

There are probably a bunch of people here that can come up with a better engineered product than me, but it worked like a charm.
That should work. There's a bridge I walk under on my way home from work and the light fixtures have a steel mesh on top with metal spines sticking up. No bird poop there.

Cheers.
__________________
Shamit Bal
http://www.flyaroundthesun.com
RV-9A
Started on wings.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-24-2010, 08:09 AM
Sid Lambert Sid Lambert is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: North Atlanta
Posts: 1,120
Default

I think owls are used to keep snakes away, not birds. Maybe it only works in the south.
__________________
Sid Lambert

RV-7 Sold
RV-4 - Flying - O-320 Fixed Pitch - Red over Yellow

Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:55 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.