A Threat to Aviation: Fatal Flocks

It looks like birds of prey aren’t the only dangerous birds. Like, who knew that geese can be fatal?

A National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the US Airways Flight 1549 crash revealed that migratory Canada geese (Branta canadensis) caused the plane to make a ditch landing in New York’s Hudson river. It was, one of the more spectacular water landings in aviation history. According to the investigation, at least two female and one male geese flying at 2,900 feet got sucked into the two engines which disabled the flight.

Fortunately, 155 people in the plane managed to be safely evacuated.

The 24 crew members of a US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft weren’t half as lucky in 1995 when struck a flock of Canada Geese on takeoff. All 24 crew members were killed.

The migratory birds are among the largest species of bird in North America, with an estimated weight of about 8 pounds each. Unfortunately, jet engine designers have only designed engines to survive strikes from 4-pound birds. Everything else is literally up in the air.

Bird strikes are a definite problem in aviation safety. In 2007, there were more than 7,400 bird strikes in the United States including 110 other incidents that caused substantial damage to aircraft. It is estimated by the Federal Aviation Administration that only 20 percent of bird strikes are reported.

While bird strikes are a force of nature—there mere fact that it is not an act of God means that it can still be harnessed, prevented or at least contained.

Smithsonian scientists have mentioned studying bird migration patterns to prevent future collisions but clearly, the best way to avoid this kind of aviation adversity is to have devices that could monitor them from far away so pilots could know and avoid these fatal flocks. Well, it’s either that or new engines that could withstand 8-pound birds. It’s a costly cause.

The aviation industry better be on a more careful watch out for aves (birds).

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