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Anti-bird blue light

When I was a student in flight training Someone decided having the landing light on during the day would reduce bird strikes. The landing light was retractable in the nose. 1 week later we had a bird hit the landing light dead on and knock it off the aircraft where it went down the right intake and destroyed the right engine.
G
 
Wig-Wag landing lights

While the blue wavelength may be marginally more effective, I believe the pulsating/wig-wag (especially with LEDs) might provide some benefit -- a serious bird-strike would make for a very bad day.

Ron
 
Spinner spirals?

Wondering if anyone knows of studies or first hand knowledge of contrasting colors placed in a spiral pattern on a spinner? Or, studies or first hand knowledge about a spinner painted 2/3 white and 1/3 black?
 
Years ago there was a discussion on this forum about the strobe effect of a painted spinner and reference were made to a spiral paint design on the spinner also.

References were made to German BF-109s and 190s which had spirals painted on their spinners to help mitigate bird strikes. I found the discussion interesting and painted my spinner 1/3 white and 2/3 red. I have not had a bird strike yet. I know of several planes in the local area that have had bird strikes but they had solid color spinners.

In fact, I think my RV is the only one that I know of that has a 2 color spinner that "strobes," but I don't know what the birds think of it.
 
I took a baby aspirin every day for a year. I never had a bird strike.
Empirical evidence? I think not.
 
Blueshift

Keep your regular landing lights on and just fly fast all the time. With enough speed they'll look blue.

[ed. For the win! ;^) dr]
 
Will try blue/black

Thanks, Ed, for the suggestion to try blue/black spinner. My AC is still in the nest so I won't be flying until next year. May it'll work - costs nothing to try it. Thanks again, Ed.
 
Clamp a plastic owl on the cowl. Ought ta be just as effective there as on the VS.

John Siebold

I realize you're just being funny, but about 10 years ago, I was parked underneath what was just a roof, no sides or doors. $%&**birds kept crapping on my plane. So I put a great big dummy owl up in the rafters, bobbing head and all. The real birds (I think they were swallows) at first were put off. Then they started making passes at the owl. In 15 minutes, they realized it was a dud, and continued on with their merry pooping ways. Luckily, I didn't have to park there long.
 
Clamp a plastic owl on the cowl. Ought ta be just as effective there as on the VS.
An owner of a Cessna 150 who parked outside at my former airport used to turn his propellor vertical and put a plastic owl on it to keep birds away. One day I looked out from the coffee shop and saw an eagle sitting calmly on top of the plastic bird. All it did was make a more comfortable perch...
 
Gotcha covered

Having had a few "near hits" with birds myself I had a bawl reading this thread. Love pilot humor! :D

You hit the nail on the head with flashing lights and the blue color temperature. We routinely hear great feedback from the agricultural installers that the flashing WigWag/Pulse plus the near daylight color temperature (blue rather than incandescent yellow) of our SunSpot lights contributes to reduced bird strikes.

LEDs offer the distinct advantage of instantaneous 'ON/OFF' which is what provides a very immediate and distinct visual cue to detract birds.

Fly safe,
Natalie
 
Bird strikes have been one of my biggest concerns. There seems to be more than 20 years ago.
This being a lot OT but here is some food for thought. Boats moored in Essex ct on the Ct river get pooped on by birds. There is a ton of different methods of deterring the birds. One solution is to shoot one of the birds and cut off a wing, hang it from the boat and the birds then stay away. May help keeps birds off your RV.
 
I was reading this thread with interest and wouldn’t you believe it I had a bird strike a mere 48 hours later. I was practicing three point landings and saw something speed past in my peripheral vision and then felt the “thump” climbing through 500’ AGL. For a about 5 seconds I just stared out at the wing in disbelief (along with uttering a few fitting words of frustration). I then began gently moving the stick to ensure I had positive control. Landed without incident and after exiting just stared in disbelief again. Only 60 hours on the airframe (20 on the Ranthane paint). Could have been much worse. FWIW This occurred at sunset and I had my LED strobe/nav (Whelen Microburst III) on.

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Note 1: Orange attracts birds........

Note 2: I remember seeing a thread where a big ball bearing and a powerful magnet were used to fix dents.
 
I live and have done most of my flying over the past 12 years or so in Northern Florida where we have lots of birds. We have big birds like buzzards and eagles that float around all year long as well as all types of water fowl that do the migrating thing at one time or another each year.
I've had my share of coming close to birds while flying low level, especially during the take-off and landing phases of flight, but really anytime you fly low level increases the risk. Been lucky so far - no hits yet! (knock on wood)
The best defense for us RV fliers is probably the Mark-1-Eyeball and our craft's dexterity. Requires keeping your head up and outside doing the see and avoid thing. Last bit of advice: know that most birds will tuck and dive if you get close. If at all possible, I would recommend pulling up if maneuvering at the last second to avoid a collision.
Hope this helps.
 
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