High Altitude Insects

[OPECJet]

What's the highest altitude you guys have smashed a bug.

I caught some sort of huge, prehistoric, turbocharged bug somewhere near 12,000. I couldn't believe it didn't come through the windscreen.

Anyone else hit one that high, or higher?

 

[7B2]

FL290, with a checklist.

 

[metrodriver]

I've hit some big bugs at 10.000' Have been wondering how they get up there and why they are there. The print they leave on the windshield is not small at all either. During the day I can understand but on a perfectly calm night at 5am?

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

Once had a fly stay on the windscreen to 170kts. Cool how when I started to roll he aligned himself with the airflow...

Zapped one at 26000' (no kidding) in Africa. Figured he must have been caught in a thermal and got spat out.

What's the last thing that goes through a bugs mind as it hits the windscreen?

 

[GogglesPisano]

13,000 ft in a CRJ inbound to ORD over the flatlands. Some sort of locust from a nearby farm I'd wager.

Must have been pretty big?

Bite your head off man.

 

[CrewDawg]

What's the last thing that goes through a bugs mind as it hits the windscreen?

His A$$

 

[labbats]

We took off outta the local ramp with a grasshopper on our windshield. Granted it was a 172, but as we climbed and sped up past 3000' AGL, steep turns, stalls, the little bugger was hanging tough.

Somewhere past the hour mark I looked up and he was gone. I felt a pang of sadness, but recovered when I pictured him floating down on his built-in wings to the grasshopper lovelies and bragging about his high-altitude manuevers. Take care little guy....

 

[barnyard]

What timing.............

Today I smashed one at 11000, thinking danm hes high up!

 

[maxcackel]

Yeah I've hit them a few times at 10-12,000' and they leave a huge juicy mark. I would love to know what they are.

 

[LR25]

Yeah I've hit them a few times at 10-12,000' and they leave a huge juicy mark. I would love to know what they are.

There not bugs, they are aliens, from the beyond.

Think about it.

 

[maxcackel]

Ahh, that makes sense now.

 

[7B2]

Don't want to start something all over again but,
Let's just hope they are PFT dudes.

 

[GogglesPisano]

They just formed their own advocacy group to look after their own interests and bring down restrictive bird scope language.

It's called the HABDC.

 

[Easyrider]

A few of them are probably Monarch Butterflies, I have smashed many of these over the Midwest, most during the fall, between
7-10 msl. (I found pieces of thier wings stuck to the airframe,
and in the engine cowlings).

 

[Dizel8]

Supposedly, the SR-71 or the nailed one at an unreasonably high altitude. Cannot remember where I found it.

 

[hawkerjock]

Had a fly pass out on the dash at about 5000 feet cabin altitude. At altitude for about 2 1/2 hours. Thought the thing was dead. Coming back down thru about 3000 feet cabin altitude the fly woke up. Opened the cabin door to let pass out, and the thing flew out with them.

 

[TimsKeeper]

Watch out for those Semenhole gnats

Geez, I was flying into VRB a few weeks back and almost caught a couple of 'em as high as 6000' on the way in and out.

I wish something could be done, they are very pesky. Also, I think they only fly in groups of three

 

[Pickle]

Monarch butterflies have been spotted as high as 29,000 feet. They also taste things with their feet.

 

[dispatchguy]

Not quite an insect, but I saw this in the PIREPS one day for LEX

152112
UA /OV LEX270010/TM 2108/FL220/TP A306/RM SINGLE GOOSE SIGHTED HEADING WBND

 

[ShyFlyGuy]

I wasn't very high, but I probibally set a record for size. I had a darned buzzard hit the nose of my 310R at 900' over BKL just to the left of center on the nosecone. He ricochet off the nosecone and into the left propeller splattering his innards and outards all over the windscreen, empanage, and wing. Had to be as big as a goose, although I never saw him (nearly midnight)... come to think of it... it was a goose. (Cost my company nearly $6k)