Ask questions via twitter! Message any question to @answers on twitter. We'll publish the question and send you a reply each time there's a new answer.
Next Question

Answered Question

 
January 15, 2009 09:59 PM

Can engines survive a bird being sucked in? How many birds can be sucked into an engine?

reading about the Flight 1549 Hudson Crash
Interesting Question?  Yes (1)   No (0)   
RSS
 
 

Best Answer  Chosen by Asker

 
January 16, 2009 01:33 PM
It surely makes a difference what type of bird and what type of engine. Most birds are light and fragile and weigh ounces or fractions of an ounce. A large bird such as a seagull may weigh a pound or so, and they are responsible for some aircraft problems. But this latest plane reportedly ran into a flock of Canada Geese, which weigh up to 12 pounds apiece. Geese are the largest and heaviest bird a plane is likely to encounter, and they fly high and in flocks.

Source(s):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7832539.stm



Helpful Answer?  (0)   (0)    Tip albanian for this answer
Permalink | Report
   Reply  
 
 

Other Answers (1)

Sort By
 
January 15, 2009 10:50 PM
Sounds like planes can usually survive one bird without a problem. The engine is designed to shutdown anyway (whether it breaks or not, doesn't matter) so as long as there isn't a big flock to clog up multiple engines you'd be fine.

From Wikipedia: "High speed impacts, as with jet aircraft, can cause considerable damage and even catastrophic failure to the vehicle. However, according to the FAA only 15% of strikes (ICAO 11%) actually result in damage to the aircraft. The impact of a 5 kg (12 pound) bird at 240 km/h (150 mph) equals that of a 1/2 ton (1000 pound) weight dropped from a height of 3 meters (10 ft).

Bird strikes can damage vehicle components, or injure passengers. Flocks of birds are especially dangerous, and can lead to multiple strikes, and damage. Depending on the damage, aircraft at low altitudes or during take off and landing often cannot recover in time, and thus crash."

"Most large commercial jet engines include design features that ensure they can shut-down after "ingesting" a bird weighing up to 1.8 kg (4 lb). The engine does not have to survive the ingestion, just be safely shut down. This is a 'stand alone' requirement, i.e., the engine must pass the test, not the aircraft. Multiple strikes on twin engine jet aircraft are very serious events, they can disable multiple aircraft systems, requiring emergency action to land the aircraft.

Modern jet aircraft structures must be able to withstand one four pound bird collision; the empennage (tail) must withstand one 8 pound bird collision. Cockpit windows on jet aircraft must be able to withstand one 4-pound-bird collision without yielding or spalling."
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_strike


Helpful Answer?  (1)   (0)    Tip peterliebenson for this answer
Permalink | Report
   Reply  
 
 
 
January 16, 2009 02:32 AM
That's sort of spooky to think about. The windshield on the cockpit has to be able to withstand ONE bird strike?! That's it?

Follow-up question: How common are bird strikes for commercial airliners?

Report
 
 
 
January 16, 2009 07:58 AM
@phil h: Hard to say but they seem to be quite common.
"The Federal Aviation Administration estimates the problem costs US aviation 600 million dollars annually and has resulted in over 200 worldwide deaths since 1988. In the United Kingdom the Central Science Laboratory estimates[5] that, worldwide, the cost of birdstrikes to airlines is around US$1.2 billion annually. This cost includes direct repair cost and lost revenue opportunities while the damaged aircraft is out of service. Estimating that 80% of bird strikes are unreported, there were 4,300 bird strikes listed by the United States Air Force and 5,900 by US civil aircraft in 2003."

Report
 
 

Answer this Question

How tips and payments work

This question has already been resolved. You may add an answer to it but you will not be eligible to win best answer or any associated tips.

Ask a Question


140 characters left
Top of Page
Buy Mahalo Dollars with Credit Card or PayPal

Top Members

This Week All Time
  • cfinke
    cfinke
    2nd Degree Black Belt
    26536 Points
    M$29.75 Earned
  • opher
    opher
    Purple Belt with a Brown Tip
    5371 Points
    M$215.59 Earned
  • thisjustme
    thisjustme
    Green Belt
    1143 Points
    M$76.05 Earned
   See All
 

Most Popular Tags

mahalo(1736)
music(492)
iphone(479)
google(379)
online(332)
food(332)
beer(282)
money(279)
movies(275)
apple(256)
aotd(235)
health(226)
free(221)
video(219)
dog(209)
   See All
 

Categories

Welcome New Members


 
 
Mahalo Dollars are the currency of Mahalo Answers.

Each Mahalo Dollar costs $1.

Once you earn more than 40 Mahalo Dollars, you can request to be paid via PayPal. Each Mahalo Dollar is currently worth $0.75 when paid out via PayPal. Learn More

 
 

Please log in to use this function.