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  #1  
Old 10-12-2010, 01:38 PM
Jerry Cochran's Avatar
Jerry Cochran Jerry Cochran is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sherwood, Oregon
Posts: 981
Default Bugs @ 10K?

We were cruising along yesterday at 10.5K on a severe clear flight from Santa Rosa to Newberg, OR, and right over Weed, CA a rather large bug, maybe a bumblebee, went splat on the windscreen.

Begs the questions... What was he doing up there and has anyone hit one higher? Inquiring minds, ya know...

The gods were messing with us on this trip, 20 mph headwinds both ways..Only averaged about 160...21+mpg tho... thanks to LOP


.
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Sherwood, Oregon

RV-7a 707DD Bot from David Domeier 12/01/11
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RV6a 18XP 1st flite 03/21/07 sold to Dale Walter 10/22/2011
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"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself."

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  #2  
Old 10-12-2010, 02:03 PM
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RV8iator RV8iator is offline
 
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Location: Saint Simons Island , GA
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Default Scared the Bejeezus out of me

I hit what appeared to be a locust (huge grasshopper) between 12 and 13000 feet descending into Austin years ago. ATC had called out pop up traffic at 12 oclock and less that a mile, no altitude so I had my nose up against the winscreen of the 340 looking for it. Just before it hit, I focused on it and it SPLATTED right in front of my face. I thought I was dead..
funny now..
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Jerry "Widget" Morris
RV 8, N8JL, 3,000+ hours on my 8.

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  #3  
Old 10-12-2010, 02:03 PM
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az_gila az_gila is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
Smile Ask your local glider pilot...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry Cochran View Post
We were cruising along yesterday at 10.5K on a severe clear flight from Santa Rosa to Newberg, OR, and right over Weed, CA a rather large bug, maybe a bumblebee, went splat on the windscreen.

Begs the questions... What was he doing up there and has anyone hit one higher? Inquiring minds, ya know...

The gods were messing with us on this trip, 20 mph headwinds both ways..Only averaged about 160...21+mpg tho... thanks to LOP


.
Since you were only about 7.5K AGL, the answer is probably thermals.

Glider pilots head for circling birds to find lift. The birds are usually not out have fun and practising formation flying, they are most likely circling and eating bugs that have been picked up off the ground by thermals...

IIRC, Weed is an area of green farm fields near the highway - irrigated fields attract flies/bugs like...(you fill in the blank)

I do enjoy flying past Mt Shasta - but some strange local stuff http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/fol/lem/selvius.htm or perhaps the pot they grow there is too strong...

In the desert areas of the SW, bugs at 18K are possible...
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Last edited by az_gila : 10-12-2010 at 02:11 PM.
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  #4  
Old 10-12-2010, 02:15 PM
Mike Macon Mike Macon is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sisters, OR
Posts: 179
Default Got mine at 13,500'

Jerry -

I hit mine at the same location while coming back from Sisters, OR to Livermore, CA on 10/5/10. Just west of Mt. Shasta, 13,500' big yellow splat on the plexiglass. It surprised me almost as much, I'm sure, as it surprised him.
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  #5  
Old 10-12-2010, 02:22 PM
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N8RV N8RV is offline
 
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Location: Elkhart, Indiana
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Default

Glad you brought this up ...

I flew my wife down to Missouri last Friday and was surprised to see a sizeable SPLAT on the windshield at 8500 feet. I was pretty sure that I'd just interfered with an ICAO time-to-climb record attempt, Bug Division.
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  #6  
Old 10-12-2010, 03:22 PM
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Greg Arehart Greg Arehart is offline
 
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Location: Delta, CO/Atlin, BC
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Default

I recall that there was another similar thread a year or so ago, with similar altitudes. Maybe that's where the "bug stream" is (corollary of the jet stream) and this is migration season?

greg
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  #7  
Old 10-12-2010, 03:35 PM
Norman CYYJ Norman CYYJ is offline
 
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Location: Victoria B.C.
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Default

I have smashed bugs up at 18000 ft. At least they don't have the guts to do it again.
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  #8  
Old 10-12-2010, 03:53 PM
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jferraro17 jferraro17 is offline
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Location: TX
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Norman CYYJ View Post
At least they don't have the guts to do it again.


Rimshot!!!


THAT was funny!
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  #9  
Old 10-12-2010, 05:28 PM
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Jamie Jamie is offline
 
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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Default

I hit a big yellow one once at 9500MSL over eastern Alabama -- it left a big spot about 1.5 inches in diameter -- the splatter was loud enough for me to hear it. I asked an entomologist friend of mine and she explained that there are some migratory insects that actually 'cruise' that high.
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  #10  
Old 10-12-2010, 05:33 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
Default

Q: What's the last thing to go through a bug's mind as it hits your canopy?
A: It's butt.


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