17-year cicadas of any concern to aircraft?

As a relatively newly-certificated pilot (two years ago), I am curious
about the upcoming emergence of the seventeen-year cicada in the northeast
and midwest US later this May.

Are there any hazards to aircraft associated with these insects, either on
the ground or in the air?

--
Peter

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
As a relatively newly-certificated pilot (two years ago), I am curious
about the upcoming emergence of the seventeen-year cicada in the northeast
and midwest US later this May.

Are there any hazards to aircraft associated with these insects, either on
the ground or in the air?


Flying through a large cloud of insects can clog your air filter and cover
your windshield with impenetrable goo. They can build up on the wings and
reduce lift and increase drag. It can take days to clean the bugs off the
airplane.

Some areas seem to have a permanent haze of bugs. Western Kansas comes to
mind. The worst I have encountered was in October of 2001. One of my
students had just bought a new Cessna 172 and we were ferrying it back to
Bremerton from the factory at Independence. We landed at Liberty for fuel
and flew through an incredible number of bugs. We could hardly see the
runway when we touched down. The entire airplane was coated with bug guts
which quickly hardened into a yellow and red layer of shellac. It was truly
awful.

On Mon, 10 May 2004 10:25:49 -0400, Peter R.
wrote:

As a relatively newly-certificated pilot (two years ago), I am curious
about the upcoming emergence of the seventeen-year cicada in the northeast
and midwest US later this May.

Are there any hazards to aircraft associated with these insects, either on
the ground or in the air?

I've lived on the east coast all my life and have never seen clouds of
Cicada's, ever. There have been summers when they were a bit noisier
than others, but never clouds of them.

You don't want to hit one of those things riding a motorcycle without
a full face mask though...

My experience has been that Cicada's don't fly very high, they travel
from tree to tree.

Corky Scott

) wrote:

My experience has been that Cicada's don't fly very high, they travel
from tree to tree.

So, in other words, stay out of the trees and we will be safe.

Thanks, Corky, for the experience.

--
Peter

Peter,

The 17-year cicada cycle for Chicago and the western Great Lakes was
last in the summer of 1990. Proved to be no big deal for flying, just
noisy as my house was in the middle of one of the infestations.

All the best,
Rick

Peter R. wrote in message ...
As a relatively newly-certificated pilot (two years ago), I am curious
about the upcoming emergence of the seventeen-year cicada in the northeast
and midwest US later this May.

Are there any hazards to aircraft associated with these insects, either on
the ground or in the air?

Peter R. wrote in message ...
As a relatively newly-certificated pilot (two years ago), I am curious
about the upcoming emergence of the seventeen-year cicada in the northeast
and midwest US later this May.

Are there any hazards to aircraft associated with these insects, either on
the ground or in the air?


I live in NE Ohio and we had the "invasion" of the 17-year Cicada's
just a couple of years ago. Thus, I wouldn't expect to see them here
(generally considered midwest) anytime soon. Can you point me to a
link with info regarding where they are expected to emerge this year?

Thanks,
Pat

"C J Campbell" wrote in message

Flying through a large cloud of insects can clog your air filter and cover
your windshield with impenetrable goo. They can build up on the wings and
reduce lift and increase drag. It can take days to clean the bugs off the
airplane.

The old RV trick is to cover the front of the vehicle with PAM so you can
wipe the guts off before they dry and stick to the paint. Can you do this
with aircraft?

-c

Pat ) wrote:

Can you point me to a link with info regarding where they
are expected to emerge this year?

"Brood X" is coming!

http://www.msj.edu/cicada/

--
Peter

"gatt" wrote in message
...

"C J Campbell" wrote in message

Flying through a large cloud of insects can clog your air filter and
cover
your windshield with impenetrable goo. They can build up on the wings
and
reduce lift and increase drag. It can take days to clean the bugs off
the
airplane.

The old RV trick is to cover the front of the vehicle with PAM so you can
wipe the guts off before they dry and stick to the paint. Can you do this
with aircraft?

Silicon sprays work well and are more durable.

Some areas seem to have a permanent haze of bugs.

Try landing at any Mississippi valley airport (Prairie du Chien comes
especially to mind) on a hot summer's evening.

You can practically hear the bugs on short final...

Which is why we use Lemon Pledge on the leading edges. The bugs just wipe
right off! ;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"