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DID YOU KNOW how often bird strikes occur

LRingeisen

Well Known Member
One thing that we like to do to better ourselves as an insurance broker is to stay current on everything we can related to aircraft insurance. This means we occasionally get the chance to scour the internet to learn new trends or just find out what people are interested in learning about. While doing this I came across an article from USA Today dated 2/6/19, ?Planes strike birds more than 40 times a day, FAA data show?. Here?s the link if you want to read up on it. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...istration-data-sully-sullenberger/2613893002/

Although the article is referring more to commercial aircraft, it got me thinking, ?How often do light aircraft collide with birds?? According to the FAA, there were 12,728 reported bird strikes by civil aircraft in 2016. This is up from 1,758 in 1990. Over a 27 year study, the FAA shows a 724% increase in bird strikes. That?s crazy! The interesting thing is that strikes with damage is significantly lower than it was back in 1990. According to the FAA, the need for reporting all bird strikes is important to identify trends and develop strike prevention methods. Of course, awareness is a key factor in any loss prevention strategy as well. Pilots should always be on the lookout for bird activity, particularly during takeoff and landing.

Here is the link to the FAA article, where I found this information. It?s pretty interesting if you ask me.
https://wildlife.faa.gov/downloads/Wildlife-Strike-Report-1990-2016.pdf

Keep in mind that bird strikes are covered by your insurance policy and it's quite possible that you have a $0 deductible. If you have any questions, please contact your insurance carrier or broker.
 
Flying reptiles...?

I just want to know where planes are hitting flying reptiles! 36 strikes on aircraft in 2016. What is a flying reptile (around today at least).

Must be something out there I'm not familiar with, watch out!
 
I just want to know where planes are hitting flying reptiles! 36 strikes on aircraft in 2016. What is a flying reptile (around today at least).

Must be something out there I'm not familiar with, watch out!

Where do you see "flying reptiles"? The report lists "reptiles", and talks about wildlife strikes (N.B. not necessarily in-flight). Also lists terrestrial mammals, which probably aren't in flight either. :)

I'd guess things like alligators, tortoises, maybe even large snakes, etc., on the runway.
 
Bird Strikes

Thanks for sharing the information. I've noticed bird populations increase over the last 30 years of flying. I fly mostly in the high deserts of CA and NV and have a near-miss with a bird nearly every flight. I find it ironic and very entertaining that the FAA has regulated flying drones useless as dozens of birds are often flying higher than my drone and within 5 miles of an airport.
 
Birds have always been a problem with us flying humans in our machines it's just that reporting same has increased over the years due education and official channels to do same.
I've hit plenty of birds just not in my RV and not nesesarily airborne!
Part of flying👍
 
I don't know why everyone celebrates Captain Sully Sullenberger as a hero pilot. A good pilot would have avoided them... KIDDING. I have hit birds with a 737 twice. Once bounced off fuselage just below side cockpit windscreen. The other went into the engine and you could smell it. The engine ate it no problem.

Seen pictures of the aftermath of birds on GA planes and transports. The first eye opener was when I was new young pilot, and one of the rental Cherokees had a strike in the windscreen and hurt the pilot. I believe he had eye damage. Military jets have been taken out by bird strikes and of course miracle in the Hudson.

This is why I worry about high speed passes down low. If you hit a bird it will hurt. One thing birds will tend to turn 180 and dive if you fly up on them. I had one do that and it flashed by. Birds get more scarce higher up but there are plenty of them up as high as 5 to 10 thousand. If you do some research you will find the types of birds and migratory routes and seasons for your area.

The best bird experience was going over a Cascade mountain pass fairly high up, in a Piper Tomahawk (which has good viability). I flew by an Eagle circling my altitude several 100 feet away, and as I flew by it looked at me (seriously). I thought it might be saying, I don't need no stinking pilot certificate and plane, God gave me my wings. Ha ha seriously it happened (not the bird talk but he did eyeball me). Being a predator the Eagle did not seem concerned about the T-hawk trucking by.

That report is interesting. In the conclusion:
"Long-term goals include the integration of automated avian detection technologies (e.g. avian radar)
and bird migration forecasting into airspace management. The development of aircraft lighting systems
to enhance detection and avoidance by birds is also needed as part of an integrated program.
"

I am assuming wig wag lights are a bonus.
 
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Bird strikes

Similar to the pilot flying in the CA & NV desert, the %'s of incidents seem to be somewhat geographical. A few yrs. back, I called on a (low wing metal ) aircraft for sale in Anaconda, Mont. In asking him his motive for selling: " have you ever flown over W., S.W. Mont. much?" He came w/in 50' of a Golden Eagle...as others chime in, stated many soaring, in large area of the state. Anaconda- another "flying reptile" example. :)
 
I hit a bat in the work plane a few days ago. About a year ago, one of my co-workers took a coyote in the main landing gear.

The best I ever heard was a plane under-flew an eagle carrying a fish. Bird got scared, dropped the fish right onto the plane!
 
Premium increase?

Leah,

After a bird strike, with minor damage of say less than $500 in repairs paid out by the insurance company, would it be typical to see a premium increase in future renewals?
 
I don't know why everyone celebrates Captain Sully Sullenberger as a hero pilot. A good pilot would have avoided them... KIDDING. I have hit birds with a 737 twice. Once bounced off fuselage just below side cockpit windscreen. The other went into the engine and you could smell it. The engine ate it no problem.

Seen pictures of the aftermath of birds on GA planes and transports. The first eye opener was when I was new young pilot, and one of the rental Cherokees had a strike in the windscreen and hurt the pilot. I believe he had eye damage. Military jets have been taken out by bird strikes and of course miracle in the Hudson.

This is why I worry about high speed passes down low. If you hit a bird it will hurt. One thing birds will tend to turn 180 and dive if you fly up on them. I had one do that and it flashed by. Birds get more scarce higher up but there are plenty of them up as high as 5 to 10 thousand. If you do some research you will find the types of birds and migratory routes and seasons for your area.

The best bird experience was going over a Cascade mountain pass fairly high up, in a Piper Tomahawk (which has good viability). I flew by an Eagle circling my altitude several 100 feet away, and as I flew by it looked at me (seriously). I thought it might be saying, I don't need no stinking pilot certificate and plane, God gave me my wings. Ha ha seriously it happened (not the bird talk but he did eyeball me). Being a predator the Eagle did not seem concerned about the T-hawk trucking by.

That report is interesting. In the conclusion:
"Long-term goals include the integration of automated avian detection technologies (e.g. avian radar)
and bird migration forecasting into airspace management. The development of aircraft lighting systems
to enhance detection and avoidance by birds is also needed as part of an integrated program.
"

I am assuming wig wag lights are a bonus.
I've had a few encounters with eagles. Once while flying a bunch of Army Rangers in the back of a Blackhawk helicopter, we came up on a Bald Eagle in northern Michigan. I started flying formation off of him to hopefully scare him off of "our" range/training area (there were other aircraft coming after me). He just looked over his shoulder at us, as if to say "dude, this is my sky". Once the guys in back saw this magnificent specimen, and alerted everyone in back I could hear them cheering over the noise of the aircraft. It looked awesome.

I've hit many birds in the day, and even bats at night while nap of the earth (NOE) flying Night Vision Goggles. Once while on a marihuana eradication mission, I had a wild turkey flush up and almost hit him!! Critters are everywhere :).
 
According to the FAA, there were 12,728 reported bird strikes by civil aircraft in 2016. This is up from 1,758 in 1990. Over a 27 year study, the FAA shows a 724% increase in bird strikes. That?s crazy! The interesting thing is that strikes with damage is significantly lower than it was back in 1990.

I wonder if there is some flaw in this thinking. I would expect little change in the actual number of bird strikes over the last 27 years. I would expect a huge difference in reported strikes due to today's ease of reporting via the internet. Don't think the amount of damage is any different either. Likely a matter of back in 1990, no damage, no report. Bend metal or break a windshield, there would be an insurance claim and report.

I had several bird strikes in the 80's but no damage and no report. One was at night, level at 6000. That caused me to sit up straight!
 
I'm still stuck on the reptile confusion posted earlier and in tune with Darwin, I think I understand.

There's no doubt birds pose a risk. Especially birds of prey/raptors & buzzards, which are protected species with minimal predators, and with the declining hunting culture-ducks & geese.

Now, if we can figure out a way to make them as predictable and obvious as a Mylar balloon, we could stare at our glass panels a little longer. :)
 
I hit a bat in the work plane a few days ago. About a year ago, one of my co-workers took a coyote in the main landing gear.

The best I ever heard was a plane under-flew an eagle carrying a fish. Bird got scared, dropped the fish right onto the plane!

I can only imagine the look on the insurance agents face when he called in a claim for a fish strike! :D
 
I suspect the reason for the increase in the number of bird strikes is because since 1990 the internet has made reporting them easier.
 
I’ve had two. Both small species of undetermined nature as the evidence was pretty much gone save a smattering of blood and feather fragments.

One on an ILS approach into Albany at night. Loud bang got my undivided attention and ended in uneventful landing once I determined all was well in the Mooney I was flying. Probably 1000 to 1500 AGL IIRC. Didn’t even know what had happened until leaving the next morning when ramp guy pointed out the blood splatter right below left cowl inlet. No damage just an ugly mess. Note this bird came through the 3 bladed prop and did not get hit by a blade.

Second was in RV4 flying at cruise about 2500 AGL under an overcast day. Hit dead center on the canopy right in front of my face. I about soiled myself. But the bird was small, the canopy slope acute, and the poor thing never knew what hit him as he glanced upward much the worse for wear. I did see it about 300 ms before impact and flinched before I heard a loud bang. Canopy survived unscathed.

I didn’t report either. Never occurred to me to do so.
 
Off topic - call for peanut gallery review of eagle and fish story

My encounters with eagles would cast the fish story in a different light......

I think he was just jettisoning external / heavy ordnance, (oh, by the way on target) ...so he could have max maneuverability to set up for gun/ talons run if necessary. 😉

Seriously,... from my couple encounters the voice over goes something like,... Hey buddy,..what are you doing in MY airspace,..buzz off,..
 
Sulley hit Canadian Geese. So clearly this is more of an immigration problem. There needs to be a wall on the northern border. Preferably a really really high one. :mad:
 
Leah,

After a bird strike, with minor damage of say less than $500 in repairs paid out by the insurance company, would it be typical to see a premium increase in future renewals?

Hi Ryan,

I will chime in for Leah, typically for a payout that small you will not see a premium increase.
 
Got lots of time in my C180 but haven't flown the RV-3B yet. The C180 is about 20% to 25% slower than the RV-3B will be. It's had zero actual strikes but I've seen plenty of birds do evasive maneuvers to avoid it.

One golden eagle even dove on me one day from above, going faster than I was. It got in front of my right wing, unfurled, had a look, and dove out of the way.

Dave
 
Birds instinctively dive when surprised. Smart pilots, they trade off some potential energy to get up to corner speed quickly to get into the fight.

Have seen this many times while thermaling near min sink in a glider together with one or more birds. Glider is generally faster than the lighter wing loading birds and relatively quiet, so you can inadvertently get pretty close to them. Never worry about the ones at your altitude or below, it?s the ones 50-70? above who will dive on you out of the sun kamikaze style. Never ends well (at least for the bird).

Peter
 
Eagles with fish, vs airplanes

Ok,...anyone else catch another story on eagle with fish in September, Air & Space mag? ( page 8, letters)

737 out of Juneau almost hit the eagle,...
Yet again, Eagle dropped fish on target,...overhead cockpit window,...and avoided air to air
 
More than you like!

I know personally there is one less large red tail hawk at an airport in south Georgia as of last Wednesday.
 
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