Bird Strikes. No I did not have one

From Flight Safety and AIN


About 60 percent of bird strikes involving civil aircraft occur during landing phases of flight (descent, approach and landing roll), 37 percent occur during takeoff run and climb and the remainder occur during the cruise phase of flight. About 62 percent of bird strikes involving civil aircraft occur during the day, 9 percent occur at dawn or dusk and 29 percent occur at night.

29% at night? that is scary!

I'm below average...

In more ways than one.

I smacked this little fella while minding my own business cruising along at 160 KTAS at 5500 MSL over North Carolina on fine day.

I heard a very loud thump and the airplane yawed left and I, very astutely I might ad, knew that the bird just had a very bad day. Not to mention my left landing light and some aluminum just around the lens. I was lucky that he/she hit where he/she did. Most of the force was absorbed by the lens. The bulb itself was no damaged, just soiled, as were my drawers.

I was dismayed to learn the poor creature did not survive as well as the wing. His/her little neck was about 3 inches long upon removal. Bird flags were lowered to half staff for the removal ceremony.

bret said:

29% at night? that is scary!

Click to expand...

Additionally considering the lower percentage of night flights.

RV8iator said:

In more ways than one.

I smacked this little fella while minding my own business cruising along at 160 KTAS at 5500 MSL over North Carolina on fine day.

I heard a very loud thump and the airplane yawed left and I, very astutely I might ad, knew that the bird just had a very bad day. Not to mention my left landing light and some aluminum just around the lens. I was lucky that he/she hit where he/she did. Most of the force was absorbed by the lens. The bulb itself was no damaged, just soiled, as were my drawers.

I was dismayed to learn the poor creature did not survive as well as the wing. His/her little neck was about 3 inches long upon removal. Bird flags were lowered to half staff for the removal ceremony.

Click to expand...

Did it taste like chicken? Just saying.....

Wig Wagging

The attached link seems to indicate that Wig Wagging Landing lights on Qantas airliners has the potential to reduce bird strikes 10 to 40%.
My VP-Pro is set up to Wig Wag the wing tip landing lights down to 50 feet,
then remain on constant until touchdown. Worth a try ....

http://www.pulselite.ca/birdstrikes.html

Cheers,
Rob RV-7A, VH-MyRV, Flying!

Bald Eagle Encounter

Not a bird strike, but on take-off the other day, I saw a bird off my left and avoided it. I saw the white head & tail and instantly knew it was a bald eagle. I climbed up above it and circled counter clockwise while it circled clockwise. It was a magnificent couple of minutes!

JB
1998 RV-6
N30JB
Finger Lakes Region, NY

kinger said:

From Flight Safety and AIN


About 60 percent of bird strikes involving civil aircraft occur during landing phases of flight (descent, approach and landing roll), 37 percent occur during takeoff run and climb and the remainder occur during the cruise phase of flight. About 62 percent of bird strikes involving civil aircraft occur during the day, 9 percent occur at dawn or dusk and 29 percent occur at night.

Click to expand...

I agree on 60%. Having 5 confirmed kills this one was the most memorable. I would say I saw it coming. Arrived to Cordova, AK to find out that the fishery has more seagulls then all NJ mosquitoes. Couldn't land at Cordova Municipal because those pests were all over went to alternative Mudhole. Came back in one hour and managed to strike only one on landing roll.

My first bird strike occurred as I was flaring to land and I think it was a dove with approx 14" wing span. You can see the dust from their wing as far back as the 6th rivet and it was almost the same on the lower side of the wing.



The second bird strike was while I was following someone low level @ 125mph in another airplane and they flushed up some small birds and I hit one.



Neither bird caused any damage that needed to be repaired. The second bird left a very small dent along side of a rib edge.

Close Encounter

Cruising West at 4,000 across Michigan's upper peninsula last summer, I spotted incoming at my 12 at the same altitude. Pulled and rolled left only to get a second bald eagle filling my windscreen as they both shot past. Now that would have made a real mess of 3TP. Took me about 50 miles to stop shaking. First time for me, hope it's my last.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP

Something to be even more mindful of if you live in a migratory flyway: as it gets cooler, birds will be heading south.

I've had at least a dozen in my career. The worst two:

A pterodactyl (probably not but it was huge) over Lake Pontchartain on approach to MSY one night. That hit the windscreen right in front of me. Passengers in the back heard me yell a very unkind word as it showed up in the landing lights and hit within about 1/10th of a second.

A snow goose in the wing of a 172 when I was an instructor. Grounded the airplane for more than a month because the leading edge skin had to be replaced.

i must admit that a bird strike is my biggest concern when flying. we are dodging them constantly here in florida.

back in CT years ago a student and instructor took a large seagull thru the windscreen on downwind. all turned out ok.