Category: News

FAA Reminds Operators of Rotorcraft Bird Strike Study

May 12, 2023 News by Gary Searing
The FAA recently issued Information for Operators 23005 reiterating a 2016 government/industry rotorcraft bird strike working group study and summarizing its recommendations. For example, helicopter operators should learn about the local bird population and use it to plan and fly routes. “Among the key considerations are seasonal migratory times and concentration patterns within the typical operating area.” […]

How Are Pilots Trained To Handle Bird Strikes?

May 9, 2023 News by Gary Searing
Dealing with unavoidable wildlife encounters. Planes aren’t the only birds in the sky. Unfortunately, bird strikes are surprisingly common in general and commercial aviation. How pilots respond to bird strikes depends on where the bird impacted the plane, how much damage was caused, and what the airline dictates their pilots should do. Let’s talk about what pilots do after […]

How Often Do Planes Experience Bird Strikes?

May 3, 2023 News by Gary Searing
Almost fifty bird strikes are reported daily on average. Only a fraction of those cause any significant damage. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an average of 47 aircraft strikes are reported daily. The vast majority of those, some 97% of bird strikes, occur close to takeoff or landings. Bird strikes generally happen below 3,000 […]

India’s new airport unsafe due to bird strike risk, activists say

Apr 25, 2023 News by Gary Searing
When the first runway at Navi Mumbai International Airport becomes operational in late 2024, Mumbai’s second airport will be able to handle 20 million passengers a year. Once completed in 2032, the airport will ultimately be able to cater to 90 million annual passengers. The airport’s developer and the city’s government say the project is […]

How The FAA Is Looking To Counteract Increasing Bird Strikes In US Aviation

Mar 23, 2023 News by Gary Searing
In 2021 alone, birdstrikes resulted in $328 million in losses and 140,000 hours of aircraft downtime Bird strikes, which occur when a bird collides with an aircraft, can have serious consequences, including damage to the aircraft, injuries to passengers and crew, and in some cases, fatalities. As such, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been taking proactive […]

Bird crashes through windshield during IFR approach

Feb 14, 2023 News by Gary Searing
While flying the full published RNAV approach to ZZZ, after being cleared for the approach, completing the procedure turn and established inbound at 2,200 feet in approach configuration (110 kts 50% flap, autopilot) a bird (eagle?) struck the windshield high on the pilot side. Pilot was wearing foggles for the approach while the co-pilot/safety pilot […]

Boeing arraigned on criminal fraud charge in crashes that killed 346

Jan 26, 2023 News by Gary Searing
Jan. 26 (UPI) — The U.S. Justice Department announced that Boeing is being arraigned Thursday on a criminal conspiracy to commit fraud charge related to two separate 737 Max jet crashes in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019 that killed 346 people. U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor ordered Boeing’s public arraignment on the felony […]