Bird Strike and Corporate Jets

[Some guy]

A mature, male Canada Goose weighs about 12 pounds and the females go about eight pounds. Turkey buzzards are also bad ju ju. I remember about 20 years back the Air Force lost a KC135 in Alaska due to multiple Canada Goose strikes on takeoff (can"t remember if they took out 3 or all 4 engines, but the whole crew got killed.

Two engines. I was stationed at Elmendorf at the time. Very sad time.
http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/5464/

 

[Flying Biker]

Back in April of 08, a Challenger 604 here at KCOS struck at least 2 pelicans just after takeoff. One of the birds actually entered the cockpit below the windscreen and penetrated through the pressure bulkhead, the other went into the left engine. A friend of mine was at the airport just after it happened and was telling me how these guys were covered in pelican blood. From the NTSB report, it sounds like the left engine got tore up pretty good, but they elected to keep it running due to their weight, temp, and elevation of the airport. From what it sounds like these guys were able to keep a level head and overt a disaster. Here is the NTSB report.

 

[jonjuan]

Back in April of 08, a Challenger 604 here at KCOS struck at least 2 pelicans just after takeoff. One of the birds actually entered the cockpit below the windscreen and penetrated through the pressure bulkhead, the other went into the left engine. A friend of mine was at the airport just after it happened and was telling me how these guys were covered in pelican blood. From the NTSB report, it sounds like the left engine got tore up pretty good, but they elected to keep it running due to their weight, temp, and elevation of the airport. From what it sounds like these guys were able to keep a level head and overt a disaster. Here is the NTSB report.

I have seen pics of that one showing blood in the cockpit. Very eerie looking.

 

[o2bflyn]

First -- today's episode shows the importance of well trained and experienced pilots.

Now I know little about the mechanics of flying and aero engineering, but do apply some logic. Does the location of the jets on a corporate jet (on the tail section) reduce the chance of a bird strike? I would guess that since the engine is not hanging out on a wing, far away from the fuselage, but close to the fuselage, that the fuselage would help disperse many birds before they hit the jet engine. Is this the case?

Thanks.

Not sure what the stats are but I will offer a personal story.

I took 2 sandhill cranes coming out of Vero Beach in an XL a couple years ago. Had just rotated and took one on the underside of the nose and one took out the right main gear door. Just some dents, blood, guts, beaks, and a missing gear door. If an engine was slung under the wing, it more than likely would have hit it.

I admit that is a matter of coincidence where the birds hit, but that is one time I was glad to have the engines up on the tail.

 

[learflyer]

Why don't they make Bird Seperators on engines anymore? Performance penalty? My Sabreliner had them.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Sully just doesn't like to lose. The Kobayashi Maru was just not an option.

SiFi dork!

obscure reference...

 

[fischman]

AHA!!!! You recognized the reference!!!

Welcome to the dork club.:beer:

 

[Just Peachy]

"You still remember my old friend. I can not help but to be touched."

I watched it this morning in honor of Khan's passing.

Having said that, you're probably right. :erm:

"from hells hot harth, I stabbith thee"

we will miss him..

 

[gutshotdraw]

"Revenge is dish best served...cold. And it is very cold. In space...."

 

[gunfyter]

"from hells hot harth, I stabbith thee"

we will miss him..

". . . from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee."

MOBY DICK -- Herman Melville
​

 

[learflyer]

"rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub."

 

[gutshotdraw]

Jamie Sheridan in The Stand

 

[gutshotdraw]

Man, I watch too much TV

 

[Hawker dude]

A mature, male Canada Goose weighs about 12 pounds and the females go about eight pounds. Turkey buzzards are also bad ju ju. I remember about 20 years back the Air Force lost a KC135 in Alaska due to multiple Canada Goose strikes on takeoff (can"t remember if they took out 3 or all 4 engines, but the whole crew got killed.

should note. that 12lbs is just the average. some Canadian geese can get up to 20 lbs. or more.

I've shot some in North Dakota weighing 20 lbs.
big suckers, my 80 lb lab even had trouble with a couple of them.

 

[captain dad]

Did you know that about 80% of major US airports are built on waterfowl refuges? One more reason to have a NJA share to avoid those ports.

I have hit my share of birds and avoided a few as most have. Mostly of the smaller variety, but I have seen the damage geese can do. From seperating riveted metal to tearing holes in wings, they can have substantial force.

A 10 pound goose being hit at around 200 mph can produce around a ton of force depending on the surface area involved.

Engines are tested with the infamous bird cannon and most will keep on chugg'in if it doesn't cause damage to the first set of blades. Damage resulting in an imbalance will cause the engine to either shutdown or eat itself. Imagine the loads and stresses on an engine missing part of a blade while spinning at 25,000 to 35,000 rpm. Here is a couple of links. Granted these are test to destruction just to see if the engine will contain the seperation a.k.a. worst case scenario. Cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek6adm4iV4Y&feature=related

Bird into a jet engine test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2OS2pwrZTI&feature=related

Actual airline strike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhZwsYtNDE&feature=related

A10 strike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-OtoMVBnoE&feature=related

Incredible, but thanks to the sturdy construction and dependability of modern aircraft engines, strikes and ingestions rarely cause fatal damage or engine failures (statistically speaking).