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Venetian Stealth Birds (Video) and what would you do after a bird strike

So this happened the other day

Interested in your comments.

So far I could gather for me

  • to always expect bird flocks on grass runways (and make sure to backtrack if the runway has not been used shortly before my take off)
  • to wear water activated life vests when taking off / landing anywhere close to water according NCO.IDE.A.175 Flight over water
    (a)
    The following aeroplanes shall be equipped with a life-jacket for each person on board, or equivalent individual floatation device for each person on board younger than 24 months, that shall be worn or stowed in a position that is readily accessible from the seat or berth of the person for whose use it is provided:
    (1)
    single-engined landplanes when:
    (i)
    flying over water beyond gliding distance from land; or
    (ii)
    taking off or landing at an aerodrome or operating site where, in the opinion of the pilot-in-command, the take-off or approach path is so disposed over water that there would be a likelihood of a ditching;
  • check google maps for possible ditching/dead stick areas
  • be prepared to abort and immediately apply maximum breaking (startle factor)

The birds seem pretty smart and good at bugging off so they might be used to it. But hitting a couple of them could have easily ended in a nasty ditching…

always learning
LO__, Austria

to always expect bird flocks on grass runways (and make sure to backtrack if the runway has not been used shortly before my take off)

I would say always expect birds near water, regardless of runway. On grass you can expect anything, deer, moose, sheep, whatever. Birds instinctively dive when they sense danger (someone attacking them), but close to the ground they cannot, it’s purely random what they do. An exception is eagles, they think they are kings, and may attack you instead.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

In Venice they also poop on your plane if they like the color!

Tököl LHTL

Never wear water activated life jackets. If they inflate in the cockpit you could find egress difficult.

EHLE / Lelystad, Netherlands, Netherlands

Did you throttle back a couple times on the roll?

Tököl LHTL

Had this the other where taxing up and down the runway, through the flock, still didn’t clear them off. Fortunately the fire crew were on hand to chase them away, but had this been unattended, I’d have reconsidered that day’s flying.

EGBW / KPRC, United Kingdom

It does look like it, and the runway looks only just long enough.

Officially, chopping a bird with the prop, resulting in prop damage, is a shock load inspection, but I wonder how likely damage is. Has anyone had this experience?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

WhiskeyPapa wrote:

Did you throttle back a couple times on the roll?

Affirm…once back and then 3/4 forward and when the second flock cleared full power. The first startle reaction was throttle back, then the birds cleared upwards, looked good again, then the second bird flock rose up but by then I was committed.
Luckily the runway in LIPV is quite long and only 2 POB.

always learning
LO__, Austria

Peter_Mundy wrote:

Never wear water activated life jackets. If they inflate in the cockpit you could find egress difficult.

Good point that I thought about but is this also the case in SEPs? Egress should be quicker than compared to an airliner fuselage and if one becomes unconscious at least they’ll still float!?

always learning
LO__, Austria

Peter wrote:

Officially, chopping a bird with the prop, resulting in prop damage, is a shock load inspection, but I wonder how likely damage is. Has anyone had this experience?

Hitting a couple of birds at low forward speed (high prop rpm) I’d think it could take out the prop and engine?

always learning
LO__, Austria
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