[Ironflight]

Thirty five years in the cockpit, and still I see "fists" every day....

As I was climbing out after clearing the KOSH airspace the other day, headed for Minnesota, I was in clear air when suddenly I heard and saw a huge "SPLAT" in front of me. Now, I have hit big bugs before, sometimes hard enough that I thought they'd cracked the windshield,. But this was different. I had a windshield that was literally covered with little gnat-sized hits - I must have hit a swarm of them all at once - I counted way more than 100 on the -8's windshield - and all the hits were simultaneous....and of course, when I landed, I found that the swarm was at least as big as the wingspan of the plane, and I had quite a bit of clean-up to do....

Fortunately, gnat are light enough that when they hit, they don't stick very hard!

Just an oddity for you...glad it wasn't one of those tightly- grouped flocks of birds you sometimes see swarming in the city!

Paul

 

[CraigC]

Paul,

If that was thursday I got them too. Headed between cells for the Dells. About 2 min out of OSH got attacked by a gaggle. At least they were small and apparently had windex for blood as they cleaned right off!

 

[Ironflight]

That was them Craig. Right about the same location....laying in wait for us between cells!

 

[the_other_dougreeves]

But this was different. I had a windshield that was literally covered with little gnat-sized hits - I must have hit a swarm of them all at once - I counted way more than 100 on the -8's windshield - and all the hits were simultaneous....and of course, when I landed, I found that the swarm was at least as big as the wingspan of the plane, and I had quite a bit of clean-up to do....

Now wait a minute .... NASA's finest gets surprised by ... bugs? With a thread title like "bug attack", I was at least hoping for a swarm of bees attacking a SWA 737.

 

[Geico266]

They must be coming off the swampy areas to the west. I too was attacked. Good thing I flew in the rain for 50 miles. Washed some off, softened up the rest.

Tech Tip: I add a dash of Fantsatic or 409 to my bug clean up water. Makes the water wetter and cleans the bugs off faster.

 

[AlexPeterson]

Bug guts

Paul, your post reminded me of a time several years ago when I was flying the RV somewhere in Tennessee I believe. I was flying relatively low to minimize a headwind, and I started hearing bugs splatting. These weren't gnats though, they were bigger juicier ones, leaving splats around a 1/4" around. After about two minutes, I realized if I didn't climb, I'd lose my forward vis. Anyway, I climbed above the bugs and continued on. I'd estimate that about 1/2 to 3/4's of the windscreen was occluded by the guts.

Another time I was flying over a lake in MN around 1000 agl. I happened to be looking straight ahead (lots of birds over the lakes), when I momentarily was preparing to push the stick forward to dive to avoid hitting a bird that was coming right at the windshield. Before I could even comprehend exactly what I was seeing, it hit the prop and busted into a couple chunks. Anyway, I didn't know such large, greasy bugs existed. Two large plops of guts nailed the windshield, they must have been two inches in diameter each.

I guess that is one of the reasons that winter flying is so delightful in MN.

 

[petehowell]

Iowa has em, too

Paul,

Hit the same bugs just north of Mason City on Saturday. Maybe they migrate west?????

 

[pierre smith]

Exterminator

You guys ain't seen nothin' yet!! I exterminate them for a living down here in the scorching South. My Air Tractor has a three-piece windshield with the center a double-pane safety glass, a windshield washer and wiper just for this. We use a 50-50 mix of denatured alcohol and water in the washer tank.

Full moon periods always seem to bring more bugs and yes, they do seem to layer sometimes. Occasionally, I'll collect so many before I get to the field that I can barely see to spray. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of climbing since I need to be around 2-3' above the crop canopy where the bugs lie in wait.....

Back to the fumes,
Pierre

 

[petehowell]

You Win

Pierre - I'm not worthy in the bug wars! Any guy with a wiper for bug guts is OK with me.

I have heard some spray planes have a cable cutter in case they hit a wire - is that true? Have you ever hit a cable?

 

[videobobk]

Wasn't a gnat

On takeoff Saturday morning, I had a Cessna behind me and to my left of 36. When things were feeling just about "right," I started to rotate and glanced at my air speed. Zero! Plan B, Fly The Airplane. Shallowed the turn to 160 degrees and pondered my situation. I have a pretty good feel for the plane, so no big deal--go to another airport and check static/pitot system. About 30 miles later it cleared and I flew on home. It had to be a bug. And yes, the pitot cover was on all the time at OSH. Going out today and blowing out the line.

Bob Kelly

 

[mike newall]

Had similar on approach to Sanford in an A330 - landed and said to the Eng - clean that please

He explained very clearly why I should leave the flightdeck quickly - I took his advice and went for a beer !

 

[pierre smith]

Whirling cable cutter

Pierre - I'm not worthy in the bug wars! Any guy with a wiper for bug guts is OK with me.

I have heard some spray planes have a cable cutter in case they hit a wire - is that true? Have you ever hit a cable?

The Cessnas had a sharpened steel cutter attached to the landing gear legs and a cable from the top of the canopy to the top of the vertical fin to deflect a powerline over the fin in the event you hit one. Nevertheless, I've seen a bunch of Cessnas with the top third of the rudder missing from the cable falling into the counterweight slot and tearing the top off.

The Air Tractor has a cable from canopy to fin as well but I wouldn't count on it. That big old 110" Hartzell is the REAL cable cutter. The down side is that if you hit a powerline with a turbine, a gearbox overhaul can cost an easy $25,000. I've hit 5 powerlines in 37 years with the last one ten years ago in a turbine. Fortunately, the Insurance co. did agree that it was an in-flight collision and the deductible was $5000, so I got lucky. I also have a toilet paper dispenser hanging on the side of the cockpit for those heart-stopping moments.

Regards,
Pierre

 

[petehowell]

Very Cool!

Pierre,

That's awesome stuff, are bird strikes a big concern?

 

[pierre smith]

Buzzards..

Birds are generally low on the crop eating worms and such. Sometimes a flock of blackbirds will appear out of nowhere and you'll clobber several of them with guts everywhere and then we fish them out of the oil cooler scoop and the air intake under the nose.

My buddy hit a buzzard yesterday with his Air Tractor 402 (PT6 turbine). He was coming over a hedgerow when it launched straight up and into the spinner. He said that it shook the airplane with a thud! Ever price a factory spinner and backplate?

Incidentally, since you mentioned it, be very careful in your RV's around garbage dumps or anywhere else for that matter. I've read on this forum where guys have had big birds break through the windshield and barely missed serious injury. I tell all my transition students to give big birds a wide berth because at 180 mph+. even that 1/4" thick windshield will break.

Back to the fumes,
Pierre

 

[Sam Buchanan]

I've read on this forum where guys have had big birds break through the windshield and barely missed serious injury. I tell all my transition students to give big birds a wide berth because at 180 mph+. even that 1/4" thick windshield will break.

This is very old news but still interesting, and sobering, reading:

http://thervjournal.com/bird.html