Bird Strike and Corporate Jets

[captfred]

It was an AWACS that was lost in Alaska.

 

[fischman]

We have to get you some new movies for your collection. :laugh:

"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:

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

That was us, and it was our best Falcon 20. They hit a flock of birds right after rotation, I think they were starlings, which are bad because they have a higher bone density than most other birds.

The rwy was only about 5,000' long, so by the time they figured out BOTH engines were winding down, they were past the end of the runway. They set it down in a cornfield. The FO had minor cuts and abrasions. The a/c was destroyed because it went over a raised road, which sent it back into the air, and it re-landed partially on it's tail, which cracked the fuselage in half.

cliff
GRB

 

[FLYLOW22]

We have to get you some new movies for your collection. :laugh:

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

 

[Mike Jenvey]

The Hawker 800 XP/XPC (so I assume the H750??) also have a speed limitation due to windscreen/birds - 280 kts below 8000 ft with screen heat working (257 kts if the heat is off for any reason).

Across here in Europe, the only major bird strike I'm aware of for a biz jet was this one, unfortunately both pilots killed.

However, Nov 2008 saw a B737 "downed" by birds at Rome, both engines out - it happened on short finals, so they made the runway. I saw the airframe a few weeks afterwards, & counted over 25 hits just on the port wing/engine alone!! The birds were starlings - main problem is that they flock in their thousands - some mini-pics here. Google Images/YouTube have some very impressive results.

Knew some of the guys on this one - a military maritime recce 4-engined jet - hit geese taking off in Scotland; unfortunately they crashed into trees, so 2 fatalities.

 

[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.