Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Birds flying through props unharmed?

Someone told me they once had a seagull through the windscreen, which must have first gone through the propeller reasonably unharmed. It was messy, with a lingering fishy aroma :/

EGHO-LFQF-KCLW, United Kingdom

The Q is IF a bird hits the prop, do you need a shock load inspection?

A strict reading of the relevant SB is Yes.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

If you read the SB strictly then even repairing nicks in the propeller would also prompt a shock load inspection, but I doubt anyone does that!

Andreas IOM

I don’t believe repairing a nick qualifies, but whatever caused the nick, if above a certain dimensions, can do.

I reckon a large bird is likely to damage the prop. There are videos of the damage that birds (and not just birds but other things too gory to talk about) do to jet engine fan blades, and these are hardened steel, not the pure aluminium of a prop blade.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

hardened steel

I’m under the impression it is mostly titanium alloys (I’m not commenting on the titanium vs hardened steel properties though)

Last Edited by Noe at 13 Sep 13:24

It may be titanium, but have you ever tried cutting, milling, grinding or drilling titanium?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

It may be titanium, but have you ever tried cutting, milling, grinding or drilling titanium?

I know of certain properties (extremely difficult to machine), but wasn’t sure of “bird vs one or the other”.

There’s probably a reason why the engines are said to cost 1/3rd of an airliner . I saw a great video (from a manufacturer) years ago, but couldn’t find it and wouldn’t have really watched it at work.

This has just been posted on FB, with pics of somebody getting a nasty injury

A small bird, apparently.

It makes a case for replacing the window with the thicker material.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Capitaine wrote:

Someone told me they once had a seagull through the windscreen, which must have first gone through the propeller reasonably unharmed. It was messy, with a lingering fishy aroma

Happened to us, 707 out of Prestwick for JFK back in the 70’s, all the pax assume they were getting a fish supper…..and were really p*****-off when we had to tell them….

Swanborough Farm (UK), Shoreham EGKA, Soysambu (Kenya), Kenya
19 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top