Bird Hit Aircraft's Cockpit Windshield

Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

That's awful....wonder what was going through the FO's mind... And what suprises me is that the leg stayed there!!!
shocked.gif
shocked.gif


What kind of plane was that?

DeltaASA16
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

What I'm interested in is what the windscreen is made out of. I had always assumed they were polycarbonate or plexiglass, but the way that it broke looks just like tempered laminated glass, similar to bulletproof glass. Doug, do you know?
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

I really don't know for sure, but I believe there's more than one layer...which is probably why the whole thing didn't cave in.
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

Holy crap, thats a big frikin bird. Pretty sure the lambswool FO seat needed replaced after that too.
grin.gif
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

Yeah I kinda freaked out myself when I found those pictures via the internet. I wanted to post them on this site to see what everybody thought of it. I can't believe the leg of the bird was still there. The First Officer sure had the eye's view of the blood all over the windshield. Hmmnn now that I think about it, I wonder who's flight leg it was .. the FO or Captain. Anywho it is awful that it happened and I sure would never want to experience that Flying.

Fly Safe!

Aaron
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

Not sure what they're made of but there are typically 3 panes of glass for each windscreen with the inner most pane being the most critical. The windows are also heated which is not only for anti-ice/defogging purposes but makes them stronger in the event of a bird strikes.

I've had numerous bird strikes, most have been glancing blows off the front windscreen or nose cone. None have done any real damage, ah...to the metal bird, yet have swiftly ended the flying career of our fine feathered friend. I hit a bird(f/o's window) at 5000ft one night while descending into DFW. We were between layers of clouds with T'storm cells in all quadrants. To this day I wonder what that bird was doing there in those conditions at night
crazy.gif
confused.gif
!
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

I unfortunately had the opportunity to change a few of the windshields on the 747, they are glass as you can see, and heavy as hell !!!
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

[ QUOTE ]
....wonder what was going through the FO's mind...

[/ QUOTE ]

Let's all be grateful it wasn't the turkey buzzard!
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

[ QUOTE ]
To this day I wonder what that bird was doing there in those conditions at night

[/ QUOTE ]

Dying, apparently. <grin>

Anyway, I thought that the reason for windscreen heat was to make the material more flexible, thus less likely to shatter then struck. Doesn't matter how warm the screen is, though, you throw a turkey buzzard at it at 250 knots, it's gonna break something.

Speaking of bird strikes, here's one for you prop flyers out there. When I was working at Air Midwest we had one of our 1900D's out in New Mexico waste a big old Buzzard on descent into somewhere. This thing managed to pass THROUGH the prop without striking a blade and embedded its beak into the leading edge inboard of the engine, breaching the fuel tank. That must have been a hell of a sound! You want to talk about "first you say it, then you do it", I'd like to get a hold of THOSE CVR tapes! <grin>

Paul
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

[ QUOTE ]
This thing managed to pass THROUGH the prop without striking a blade and embedded its beak into the leading edge inboard of the engine, breaching the fuel tank.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any of you mathematical types care to calculate the odds of that one?
smile.gif
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

D'oh.. punchy... I meant the inboard leading edge of the WING, not the engine. silly me. That WOULD be quite the feat given the frontal profile of a PT6! <grin>

Paul
 
Re: Bird Hit Aircraft\'s Cockpit Windshield

EatSleepFly,

Yeah, something like that. This has been enlightening thread for me because I did not know that turbine engines could be feathered.

How's western NY treatin ya. I keep thinking i wouldnt mind moving my CFI life back to the Albany NY area. Heck, scenic flights on Lake George wouldnt be too bad for cheap time building.

smile.gif
 
Back
Top