Horizon Air article about pilot safety culture

Bombardier didn't certify the Q400 with the windshield heat on, at all times...so at 8600', the high speed cue goes from about 260KIAS to 245KIAS, for bird strike protection.

This whole statement is exceedingly confusing to me. I may die trying to figure out how windshield anti-ice, a 15 knot speed difference, and bird strikes relate to one another :)
 
This whole statement is exceedingly confusing to me. I may die trying to figure out how windshield anti-ice, a 15 knot speed difference, and bird strikes relate to one another :)
What @gotWXdagain said...warm glass = more able to absorb impact. The F28 was restricted to 250KIAS if the windshield heat was on MEL (according to the QX pilots that are still around, that flew the F28).
 
Ok so you guys are more concerned with absorbing the inevitable impact than avoiding it? That much makes sense.
 
A few business jets I've flown have similar restrictions for bird strike protection. I hit some birds in the MD11 at 18k at night and I felt the concussion from the window turning into a drum. I did not poop my pants but it was close.
 
It's not even absorbing vs avoiding...it's a matter of certification saying that Vmo = xxxKIAS because your windshied can't withstand a birdstrike, because the windows won't absorb the strike.

It's a giant PIA, is what it is.

The Q4 isn't the exactly the most maneuverable aircraft out there either (think an old pick up with no power steering), so avoiding isn't always the easiest.

If you want to see what happens to a Q400 hitting a bunch of birds, google N409QX birdstrike Medford (MFR). We're lucky that plane landed safely, the FO (who's still at QX as a Captain), landed with just the Standby Indicator available to her.
 
I've had a handful of bird strikes.....one FOD'd a motor to death at night, in a single engine jet of mine no less......luckily I was in the flare and never noticed (neither did anyone else until the following morning). But for the daytime ones where I did see them, even in a "maneuverable" aircraft, there just isn't time to react and do anything other than really whatever you were already doing. Luckily most of the time they instinctively react and dive away from you, but I've found the bigger ones do essentially what I have done.....ie nothing, and hope for the best :)

Makes sense now gents based on the explanation
 
Vmo -10, all phases and any overspeed = write up, period

if you’re in the training dept, you get one freeby...that’s it. If you want to be in the training dept, you best not have had one in the past year.

I didn’t think that place could get any more over-proceduralized. Talk about making it harder than it needs to be.
 
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