An anonymous forum to allow you to share those moments in flying that caused you concern. You can post without registering a username, registered users can log out to post
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1412357
Hit a gull this morning at about 400 ft on climb out, he'll of a mess on the windscreen and an almighty bang as the bits hit after it went through the prop disc. Getting round to land with a 600 ft cloud base and filthy windscreen was interesting.

Both Glos ATC and RGV aviation were a great help. Mrs Johnm was remarkably relaxed about the whole thing too, especially considering she narrowly escaped a facefull of gull and plexiglass!
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By Josh
#1412358
No damage to the windscreen then?

I had one go through the prop on a twin and there were fairly large bits of it left. I hope the self-debrief over a beer was fun!
By Jon Mercer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1412430
Glad you're both safe. I've had close scrapes with gulls, but its the buzzards that scare me. Huge and slow, like caravan drivers in the sky.
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By Charles Hunt
#1413164
Glad you are both OK.

Low level circuit at 600'?.....Reckon I could manage that.....Now imagine you can't see out very well.........Ah. Well done.
By Dominie
#1416993
A long time ago I did a Board of Inquiry on an RAF Harrier that was brought down by a black headed gull. As I recall their typical weight is only 275 g but the aircraft was doing 420 knots at low level. The crew both escaped although the pilot's face was covered in bird goo (visor down so couldn't see anything) and injured his jaw.

I guess on climb out you were below 80kts so the energy was a lot less; also your prop helped chop things up as well - was it damaged? Never a good experience!
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By garylaw
#1467839
I had a bird strike just before I had my first solo. I was flying a pre-solo checkride with CFI. On approach it was going fine, and there were quite a lot of birds on the runway. I was taught not to be too concerned about them as they will fly away as soon as our plane is approaching. One stood on the centreline of the runway and did not fly away so I smashed into it - a loud bang on the undercarriage and it turned into pieces of bird flesh all over the runway.

We went back and check the undercarriage and it was fine, just with a bit of blood stain on it. Then we went up for another circuit then for my first solo and still see a lot of flesh on the runway. This is the experience I don't think I can ever forget - now I still get a little bit concern when I see a flock of birds around the airfield...