Hypothetical Bird Strike Question

ARFlyer

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While flying in the traffic pattern today I noticed a Bald Eagle circling right below us. Didn't have to do any maneuvers around it but had to watch its movements very closely.

This got me thinking about what would be the procedure if it had flew into our path and hit us. I know its a NTSB bird strike form but would there be any other procedure to follow, since it's a protected bird ?

It was quite interesting to see the bird. I've seen them from the ground but never from the air and that close up.
 
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Good question. If a bald eagle dies while flying over your yard you can get in a lot of trouble just having the corpse. Dunno what a plane full of rapter feathers could get you from the fish cop but I wouldn't want to find out.
 
I'll be training the national "fish cops" (US FWS scientist pilots, actually, although more into waterfowl than anything else) later this week. I'll try to remember to ask them.
 
I believe our school, specifically our bio dept, is allowed to have remains but I don't know if that would apply to our department.
 
The Hypothetical bird is a pretty rare creature. You are unlikely to strike one in real life.
 
All raptor parts are a big no no. Not just bald eagles.
 
ClimbnSink said:
All raptor parts are a big no no. Not just bald eagles.
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So I guess you would have to clean your aircraft very well and hand everything over to game and fish.

I might ask our bio dept. tomorrow what happens when they do corpse examinations.
 
ARFlyer said:
So I guess you would have to clean your aircraft very well and hand everything over to game and fish.

I might ask our bio dept. tomorrow what happens when they do corpse examinations.
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Or clean your aircraft very well and...what eagle? ;)
 
Interesting question. I came awfully close to a couple of big birds that my passenger (who knows his birds pretty well) couldn't 100% positively identify, but he thinks they were young bald eagles. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to hit them for any number of reasons, but I hadn't thought about the other potential consequences of hitting a bald eagle (or any other endangered bird).
 
Kill a bald eagle? Prepare to bend over and take it from the government.
 
Jim Logajan said:
The Hypothetical bird is a pretty rare creature. You are unlikely to strike one in real life.
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Actually, not as much as you think. They (Bald Eagles, not "Hypothetical Birds") are making a major come back. In Alaska, they are pretty thick. I have seen them in pretty large numbers there myself. I know they are also making a comeback in the other 48 states, too, mine (Indiana) included.
 
Bald eagles are no longer endangered, but they are still a protected species.
 
Hypothetically, if you hit a bald eagle with your airplane, as soon as you land Fish and Wildlife SWAT teams converge, beat you to a pulp, confiscate your airplane, fine you $250,000, and send you to federal prison for 3 years.

Hypothetically. :)
 
The hitch is there is no common sense exception to the law against possessing raptor bits. We hope common sense would be used in enforcing the law, but
 
FYI, my CFI during primary training was an ornithologist. His take is if you encountered birds, you should climb if possible, as they normally fly on the verge of stall speed and instinctively dive when startled.
 
That is what we are taught in CAP. We encounter many birds during our flights, mostly buzzards. One crew had a buzzard pass behind the prop and in front of the wing strut on the 182.

There are preferred soaring locations, just like humans.

'Possum cop.
 
I hit a large bird a couple years ago, it was likely a buzzard, I didn't get his tag number as he kept going in the opposite direction and then began a rapid decent.;) I reported to ATC, they gave me a number to call and I gave them the details and why I diverted to my maintenance base on an IFR flight plan. No biggie, if I thought I hit an eagle, I would make the same report. Large bird of unknown species made contact with wing at 5000 ft MSL, 10 NE of ATL VOR. No sense naming the species unless your 100% sure. ;)
 
Sac Arrow said:
FYI, my CFI during primary training was an ornithologist. His take is if you encountered birds, you should climb if possible, as they normally fly on the verge of stall speed and instinctively dive when startled.
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That is what I also teach my students.

I know in Boy Scouts if you find an eagle feather you have to leave it where it lays.
 
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