Birdstrike Information

[Everskyward]

Wow, necropost! I had almost forgotten about that time in Rockford.

Here's an unfortunate guy who not only hit something hard but got wound up in the gear retraction mechanism.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

A) Take off and hope you miss them all.

Hope is not a good plan in aviation. Also, when they get startled, they're going to fly - Right into you.

B] Taxi back to the other end and take off down wind with 3000 ft before the flock.

Might work, but how much wind is there? How much practice do you have with downwind takeoffs, how much runway will you use, etc. etc... Choose wisely, and don't create a situation that might be worse than just birds.

C) Wait until they are gone (they seem to not want to go anywhere soon).

Taxi down near them, rev the engine up, scare them away, taxi back, take off.

 

[denverpilot]

Taxi down near them, rev the engine up, scare them away, taxi back, take off.

Does that work for the mosquitos in Wisconsin too, Kent?

 

[BillTIZ]

Birds are not the only problems on runways. Once while doing a taxi back for take off, a dear crossed in front of me heading towards the runway. So you really wonder where that dear is or if there are more when you power up on the runway and can't see beyond 2 runway stripes.

Loring AFB ME would have the SOF do a runway check just before the night fliers returned before sunrise. The problem, Moose.

Did a night T&G in the Bone, just as the mains came off the ground we saw something flash in the landing light but felt nothing. We had the SOF check the runway before we came around again. He found a dear on the runway with a broken back. We had to hold while they cleared the mess, and then the next was a full stop not knowing what we had in the gear.

 

[denverpilot]

KSAF, Coyote chased me 1/4 of the way down the runway. Silly dog. He seemed to be having fun, though. Tower didn't seem to care, either, when I told him the pup was playing out there.

 

[timwinters]

Had my first bird strike coming home last Friday when I was on downwind at my home field. Thankfully it wasn't too big of a bird (pigeon size). I saw it at the very last second as it folded its wings and dropped right into me. It bounced of the top edge of the windscreen. An inspection on the ground revealed no damage.

It made a pretty loud thump though!

 

[azure]

Had my first bird strike coming home last Friday when I was on downwind at my home field. Thankfully it wasn't too big of a bird (pigeon size). I saw it at the very last second as it folded its wings and dropped right into me. It bounced of the top edge of the windscreen. An inspection on the ground revealed no damage.

Very lucky. I had my first birdstrike earlier this year in cruise at 3500 MSL. It bent the OAT probe and made an ugly mess, but the Branded Bird escaped unscathed too.

It made a pretty loud thump though!

Imagine the sound a bird would make at cruise then, 130 KTAS. I only saw a blur out of the corner of my eye before impact, and wondered at first what kind of rock had hit my airplane.

 

[JOhnH]

Old post but timely revival.
Yesterday my wife was taking IFR instruction and I was in the back. I happened to see a huge black bird that kept getting huger! She was wearing foggles and couldn't see it. By the time I could say "whoaa" the IFR instructor yelled "my airplane" and took the yoke and pulled way back at the same time it appeared the bird dove. It came incredibly close to the windshield but missed. I would not have known whether to pull up or push down, and I never asked the IFR instructor why he pulled up. He either knew this important bit of lore, or was lucky. But now I know. Thanks Adam.