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Birds And Airplanes

dav1965dav1965 Member Posts: 26,540 ✭✭✭
edited May 2017 in General Discussion
I worked on airplanes for 10 years in the Air Force. First on T-38s and then F-16s.

We never lost an airplane to a bird strike but there was a lot of close calls.

The funniest call i heard on the radio was a IFE (In Flight Emergency) because the pilot hit a squirrel. Some type of bird picked up a squirrel and the plane scared the bird and it dropped the squirrel.

One thing about an animal strike is they stink to high heaven.

Comments

  • Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have had a couple close calls with birds, but never hit. Also came across a cluster of balloons one day, missed those also.
  • BrookwoodBrookwood Member, Moderator Posts: 13,768 ******
    edited November -1
    The F4 that I was crew chief of came back to base IFE after striking a buzzard on the right wing's leading edge.

    Made it back safe catching the barrier with the tail hook. Quite a miracle in itself as there was an almost complete hydraulic failure.

    Spent the next month in the hanger replacing most of the wing parts.
    Never will forget the smell of feathers ala hydraulic fluid![xx(]
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,497 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I was a student at Laredo back in '69, another T-37 hit a vulture. The bird hit the IP in the face and killed him instantly. The student (on only his second flight) managed to land, but was so traumatized that he self-eliminated from flight school. I saw the cockpit of that jet, and it was about the goriest thing I've ever witnessed. Also one of the worst smelling.

    In my flight hours, I've hit a couple birds and had a bird and a bat go into engines. Other than burned feather smell in the air-conditioning system, no damage.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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