In my experience, some of the most underutilized tools in the cockpit are the transparent panels in front of the pilots. Watching where you are going is a great way to avoid running into things.


Given the safety record of the Osprey, I will take my chances with the birds any day!!!

I’m thinking that your experience hasn’t involved spending much time in the cockpit of a turbine powered aircraft doing 200+mph at altitudes where birds fly.

Avoiding a bird strike is not nearly as easy as watching where you're going.

We are pretty close on that one.

It's so easy. Install a big propeller in front of the turbofan and turn the birds into puree.

You are certainly corrrect when it comes to sparrows and seagulls. Canada geese in formation are another story.

Do you think if they had been looking for the geese they could have altered the course of the plane soon enough to avoid the collision?

Are those airliners on a rapid climb like that maneuverable enough to miss geese in formation?

(Gee, maybe they could put a whole lot of those silent deer whistles on the wings:P)

Don't bet on it.

If you are flying straight and level at a slow enough speed with a set configuration of the aircraft such that you can take the time to scan the skies, and you’re at a low enough altitude to have a large flock of rather large, dark colored birds silhouetted against a nice bright blue sky (sun behind you, clear glass, etc.)... Then yes. You may see them in time to do something that may reduce the chances of a strike. You’ll have about 2.5 seconds. Oh, and: Try not to over stress the airframe.

However, the part you seem to have a hard time understanding, is the reality of what’s going on in the cockpit of a commercial size aircraft (and most corporate) while operating at an altitude shared with our fine feathered friends. I could go into a long list here of what’s happening, but I wont waste your time. Just understand that even large geese are still little specks at a distance great enough to react to them. That even in a departure attitude a threatening flock may still be hidden in the glare shield. That on approach, most all threats are not silhouetted against the sky as we see them from the ground, but hidden in the trees or against a rather complex background. And most importantly. On departures and approaches. There is far more things going on (and happening quite quickly) in the cockpit to allow time to sit up and scan the skies outside the cockpit for birds. Note too, that in either takeoff or approach configuration (any for that matter) – You can’t take an aircraft weighing hundreds of thousand of pounds and just maneuver it around a flock of geese.

Bottom line: 99% of the time. When you do see them, you have just enough time to say something to the effect of “**** !!” and it’s over with.

(And yes, I do speak from a few first hand experiences.)

I wouldn't bet on it.

Not really. You might roll into a right turn if you can recognize that the geese are flying to your left and avoid them (& vice versa). But you'll have less than 3 seconds to figure it out and do it.

Then of course you’ll have to go over the cabin intercom and say something to the effect of: “Sorry about that ladies and gentlemen. We were trying to avoid a flock of geese that we probably would not have hit anyway...
We hope you enjoyed getting to know your fellow passengers on a very up close and physical basis while we smashed you together with that 4G turn. Those of you not wearing your seatbelts or unfortunate enough to be walking about the cabin... we’ll be happy to notify your next of kin.”


Now there's an idea ! Not too far off the inlet screen idea though.

I know you're joking, but keep in mind the speed of the aircraft and the speed of sound coming from said aircraft. The geese you didn't hit as you flew through them would hear it as you went by. :D

I saw an article this morning about oe of those engines having had compressor problems just a couple of days earlier. I think it said "compressor problems." I have no idea what the inner workings of jet engines consist of. You can bet that'll get a lot of scrutiny. I hope for US Air's sake their maintenance logs are impeccable.

They're at 1000' at three seconds. Can you react and move the aircraft to avoid them in three seconds...........doubtful. Can you see a flock of 10 birds when you're 1000' away..........doubtful, unless that's your sole purpose in the cockpit.

That engine doesn't have to worry about compressor problems anymore. It just had the largest possible compressor problem.........

Agreed.

Not to mention that somewhere back down your family tree is a guy named Clark Kent.

No kidding. From what they said. Just one big bang. Not a series of pops as with most comp stalls.

The only thing they had popping was the igniters in AUTO RE-LIGHT mode.

Yeah, I get a kick out of the media when it comes to this sort of stuff. In what I read they said that earlier in the week, the compressor 'failed' on one engine but that they continued that flight.

Clueless.

More often than not. ABSOLUTLY clueless.

Sometimes I have to turn the news off with events like this. They piss me off too much. :mad: I have a hard time just laughing at them.

Not that I would expect them to know aviation the way I do, as I’ve lived it most all my life. But I’d think they’d get a clue on a few things and get a few facts straight before they hit the air with their story. After all, isn’t that what they are supposed to do?

What really get to me is when they say something to the effect of: “And now we’ve discovered that the maintenance records show that the (whatever part) had a crack discovered in it three weeks ago !!

Immediately, Joe Public thinks that their operating unsafe aircraft with known broken parts. OMG !!

What they don’t tell you is that the crack discovered is very common for the (whatever part) and well within allowable limits. With a re-inspect time set for six months down the road.

(Off my box now….)