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Damage from bird strike?



 
 
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  #11  
Old December 2nd 19, 11:46 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Justin Couch
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Default Damage from bird strike?

About 15 years ago a pilot in our club in Camden, NSW hit an adult wedgetail eagle in the club's Astir CS. Wingspans typically in the 3m mark, so a pretty large bird. Unknown to the pilot there was about a meter of the leading edge of the wing missing after the impact, roughly in front of the airbrake box. Aircraft landed ok, to the astonishment of everyone, including the pilot who had no idea how bad the damage was. Astirs are *tough*.

There was another wedgetail strike in Western Australia a few years ago. Went through the canopy and into the lap of the pilot. Promptly tossed overboard, as the eagle was apparently still alive. Aircraft landed safely.

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/when-...p-ng-ya-233109
  #12  
Old December 2nd 19, 04:27 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Damage from bird strike?

Was doing a low pass, 3' agl, in a ventus b at redline and hit a sparrow dead center at the leading edge about 3 feet in from the tip. Sounded like a rifle shot and after landing found little evidence of the bird, some feathers and blood, but no damage to the plane. Didnt even take off the gel coat. Cant say the same for my drawers though
  #13  
Old December 2nd 19, 05:56 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Bob Youngblood
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Default Damage from bird strike?

On Sunday, December 1, 2019 at 1:04:57 PM UTC-5, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few weeks ago one of our local Warner Springs pilots had a midair with a hawk on the leading edge of his D2 resulting in substantial damage. One can view on Yankee Composite's social media. Question is, how many have suffered damage needing repair after a bird strike, in a glider? Please share your story.


Several years ago I restored my J3 Cub and she was and still is a beauty. Shortly after the restoration I was flying low along a swamp canal and I had a collision with a Ghetto Goose, or Anhinga as some call it. The Anginga entered the leading edge of the right wing and went completely through the leading edge fabric and metal skin and lodged itself close to the main spar. The only thing you could see were the two feet of the Anhinga sticking out of the leading edge and a good bit of blood splatter on the wing.
Final result was a recovering of that wing, not a great day for flying along the swamp canals. Bob
  #14  
Old December 2nd 19, 06:11 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Damage from bird strike?

On Sunday, December 1, 2019 at 10:04:57 AM UTC-8, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few weeks ago one of our local Warner Springs pilots had a midair with a hawk on the leading edge of his D2 resulting in substantial damage. One can view on Yankee Composite's social media. Question is, how many have suffered damage needing repair after a bird strike, in a glider? Please share your story.


I was the pilot at Warner Springs with the bird strike that Jonathan mentioned. I believe it was a golden eagle. I was thermalling when I noticed it about 50 yards away and a little above me. I was planning on moving over towards it on my next turn around, thinking it had better lift. But as I came around, he was aiming straight at me and coming fast. The image burned in my brain is of his wings and tail twisted up in a last second maneuver it miss me. I think he was trying to scare me and just misjudged. He slammed dead on into my leading edge. Quite a thud, but I still hoped to see him pull out before he hit the ground, When I landed and saw the bloody damage I could see why he didn't make it. No loss of control flying back.Lesson learned: don't **** off eagles.
  #15  
Old December 2nd 19, 07:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
BG[_4_]
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Default Damage from bird strike?

On Monday, December 2, 2019 at 9:11:18 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Sunday, December 1, 2019 at 10:04:57 AM UTC-8, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
A few weeks ago one of our local Warner Springs pilots had a midair with a hawk on the leading edge of his D2 resulting in substantial damage. One can view on Yankee Composite's social media. Question is, how many have suffered damage needing repair after a bird strike, in a glider? Please share your story.


I was the pilot at Warner Springs with the bird strike that Jonathan mentioned. I believe it was a golden eagle. I was thermalling when I noticed it about 50 yards away and a little above me. I was planning on moving over towards it on my next turn around, thinking it had better lift. But as I came around, he was aiming straight at me and coming fast. The image burned in my brain is of his wings and tail twisted up in a last second maneuver it miss me. I think he was trying to scare me and just misjudged. He slammed dead on into my leading edge. Quite a thud, but I still hoped to see him pull out before he hit the ground, When I landed and saw the bloody damage I could see why he didn't make it. No loss of control flying back.Lesson learned: don't **** off eagles.



While flying out of Dillingham on the North Shore of Oahu, I hit a Frigate bird with the leading edge of a ASW17 on landing. No damage to the plane, only a bloody spot with some feathers left behind by the poor bird. The birds would hang out around the threshold, mine was not the first bird strike.. Closing speed was mostly for me, he was taking off nearly vertically.

I have had many close encounters with hawks, eagles, and Condors. Only the hawks have shown signs of aggression. The will some times roll over and show you there talons if you get too close. The condors were the most benign, we climbed nearly 3k in the same thermal then went on our own separate ways.

BG
  #16  
Old December 2nd 19, 08:09 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Damage from bird strike?

A friend was flying for SkyWest and took a bird strike on final approach. He reported it to the Tower and they asked, "Is there any damage?" Bill's response was, "Yeah. That sucker's dead!"
  #17  
Old December 2nd 19, 08:24 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Brian[_1_]
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Default Damage from bird strike?

Not a glider, but I had a redtail hawk come fly in formation with the Aeronca Champ I was instructing in, he maintained position about 6 feet in front of the right wing as we were rounding out and flaring for a 3 point touch down. Just before we touched down he pulled up like he was going to go over the top of the wing. He missed and hit the leading edge of the wing. He must have hit on one of the ribs as there was no damage to wing, but it did kill the hawk.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
  #18  
Old December 2nd 19, 08:41 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
son_of_flubber
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Default Damage from bird strike?

Very informative account. I'd assumed that raptors understood glider flight paths and had good situational awareness. My frequent encounters with Kestrel, Peregrine falcons have all been positive.

My policy is to only enter thermals well below raptors, but they will occasionally join me at same altitude.

Anecdotally, most glider/raptor interactions avoid collision.
Is a glider more likely to collide with a raptor or another glider?

In 2018, I changed altitude to avoid a large migrating gaggle of Canadian Geese (100+) in blue sky mountain wave at 8000. I thought it was a wisp of smoke in the laminar flow, but as it got closer it turned into a bumpy line.. I had about five minutes to move, because they were crabbed to stay in the lift.

Geese are very focused on their task and I don't expect that they would have diverted. If you see a chevron, they're above or below you. A straight line might be same altitude. I wonder if TIS-B would identify a large gaggle?



  #19  
Old December 2nd 19, 09:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dave Nadler
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Default Damage from bird strike?

On Monday, December 2, 2019 at 2:42:01 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
My policy is to only enter thermals well below raptors


Yikes - So when they "startle" and reflexively pull in their wings and dive,
they have the best chance of hitting you???
  #20  
Old December 2nd 19, 10:29 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dave Walsh[_2_]
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Default Damage from bird strike?

If you are lucky enough to be in SW France there is an Ecopark at
Rocamadour where you can get very close to various Eagles and
Vultures; they are free flown each day.
Griffon Vultures are big ~11kg; ~26lbs! When you have stood next
to one or had one fly past your head a foot or so away you can
appreciate why having a mid-air with one can be so disastrous.
They also have Andean Condors: an even bigger hazard.
Well worth a visit: -

http://www.rocherdesaigles.com

 




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