In 1988, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604 sucked pigeons into both engines during takeoff and then crashed, killing 35 passengers.
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If large birds or flocks of birds are reported or observed near the runway, the flight crew should consider: Delaying the takeoff or landing when fuel permits. Advise the tower and wait for airport action before continuing. Take off or land on another runway that is free of bird activity, if available.
The incidents are serious particularly when the birds, usually gulls, raptors and geese, are sucked into a jet engine and strike an engine fan blade. That impact displaces the blade such that it strikes another blade and a cascade can occur, resulting in engine failure.
What's the Risk? A bird-strike event has been estimated to occur about once in every 2,000 flights, depending on the time of year and flight location. But many events are not reported.
Opening an aircraft door is impossible while the plane is at cruising altitude or above 10,000 feet due to air pressure. However, as the plane gets lower, experts say it is possible for a door to open as the pressure outside equalizes with the pressure inside the plane.
Birds don't fly at night. Birds don't fly in poor visibility, such as in clouds, fog, rain, or snow. Birds can detect airplane landing lights and weather radar and avoid the airplane. Airplane colors and jet engine spinner markings help to repel birds.
The extra weight of a screen would decrease fuel efficiency. But the main reason is concern that screens would impede airflow into engines, possible causing an engine to shut down. Screens could ice over – airliners typically cruise at altitudes where temperatures are well below zero. Ice would also disrupt airflow.
Birds of all shapes and sizes travel at speeds high enough that a window collision almost always proves fatal. Birds that survive immediate impact are stunned and often fall prey to predators, like domestic cats, soon after a collision.
Basically No. Aircraft are for the most part much faster than birds. There are ultra lite aircraft that have been used to lead geese on their flyway journey from South to North and back flying at under 40 mph. An ultra lite maxes out at about 90 mph and a diving hawk or eagle might be a bit faster ( in the dive).
Which airports have the most wildlife strikes? Denver International Airport opened in 1995 in the continent's central flyway for migrating birds, according to online news site Denverite. The airport has the most reports in the wildlife strike database with just over 9,000 through the end of 2022.
Some aircraft damage from lightning strikes includes broken lighting and windows, deformed antenna placements, and onboard electronics malfunctions. Other abnormalities or warnings on the flight deck, such as cabin air pressurization problems or false alarms, can occur after your airplane has been struck by lightning.