Light Aircraft Bird Strikes

I have written about 'Bird strikes' in my April 24th post, but now I have decided to post a few pictures of bird strike after shots I have gathered whilst flying in Africa. I had thought previously that blogging about aircraft incidents and accidents as being potentially detrimental to the health of my blog, obviously I am over that fear now.
So over the next few paragraphs I will mention a couple of stories and tips I have gathered over the last few years for dodging large birds in light aircraft over here on this large continent....I guess they can be applied elsewhere too.
When I first began my line training in Maun Botswana there was basically a whole section on large birds in particular Vultures.
-Never fly directly under Vultures-their avenue of escape is to dive....you would be lucky to be around after a 12 kilogram(25Lbs) Vulture came hurtling through that thin layer of perspex in front you.
-Never wear a base ball cap whilst flying-apparently it limits ones visibility above(it was a hard choice for me as my skin only needs a glimpse of sunlight before I burn).
-Never have your head inside the cockpit for too long. We were always flying VFR(Visual flight rules).
And the list went on my memory is a bit hazy.
You can be as vigilant as possible and still have a strike.

These birds can ride the thermals really high, according to Transport Canada's website the highest ever recorded bird strike was in a DC-8-62 on the 23rd October 1991 at a whopping 39000 feet(Flight Level 390 to be politically correct). Well most of us GA pilots in our bug smashers can't even obtain half that altitude. In Africa I personally have rarely seen a bird(vulture, Stork or Eagle) higher than 6000 feet AGL(Above ground level) or above the cloud base....maybe in this part of the world birds are not instrument rated?

Many of the Aircraft wounds I have seen that are directly related to bird strikes are on Cessna 206's and 208's. Logically the majority of bird strikes are going to be head on....unless your flying something ridiculous like a ultralite/microlite/contraption or paragliding where one may have a freak bird strike from behind. The thought of having a 9KG(19lbs) Stork come barrelling through the perspex at 150 knots is a discomforting feeling.....but then if one thinks too in depth about much of aviation it can be discomforting.

I will explain the the pictures from top to bottom: The very top picture is straight out of the 'Ngami times' October 2006 of a Cessna 206 where a Vulture has gone through the perspex, going between the pilot and right seat passenger. But due to aircraft weight(5 people on board) and drag from no windshield the aircraft could not maintain altitude. Luckily everyone walked away from the accident. In fact the passengers got into another aircraft and were flown onto their next safari camp.

Second from the top is of the crashed 206 lying in water, I took the photograph whilst on a scenic flight the day after the accident.

The third from the top is your typical vulture looking for a light aircraft to go play chicken/vulture with .

The next picture is the tailplane of a Cessna 206 that had a lucky escape with only minor damage after a bird strike.

Then recently here in Tanzania a Cessna Caravan(208) flying from a airstrip in the Serengeti national park to Mwanza struck a Marabou stork on the leading edge of the left wing whilst flying at 130 knots. It jammed the ailerons in a slow right role, the pilot countered the roll with rudder and power for one hour to land himself, passengers and aircraft safely in Mwanza. I was quite impressed when I learned that the ailerons had locked a slow right role.

That man earned his beer that day!

Also Check out:

www.africanbushpilot.com