Bird-strikes (bats, reptiles, too): 82,000!

[babylonsister]

Bird-strikes (bats, reptiles, too): 82,000!
Posted April 24, 2009 10:45 AM
The Swamp

by Mark Silva


Talk about transparency.

Talk about something else to worry about:

More than 82,000 bird-strikes against airplaines -- well make that bird and bat and reptile strikes, actually -- have been reported since 1990 in the United States.

"Terrestial mammals and reptiles?'' In the sky?

The Federal Aviation Administration wanted to keep the records sealed, in the aftermath of the goose-strike that downed the US Airways flight that Captain "Sully'' Sullenberger so valiantly and famously landed on the icy Hudson River.

Now Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who said that if the government can release torture memos it certainly can divulge bird-strike records, has made good on a promise to get that data-base up on the FAA's Website this week.

It's there, today, in all its bloody detail (illustrated): Globally, the report notes, wildlife strikes have killed more than 219 people and destroyed over 200 aircraft since 1988

more...

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/04/birdstrikes_bats_reptiles_too.html

and more here...

http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html#access

[Taverner]

1. SNAKES???? ON A MUTHAFUCKIN PLANE????

[enlightenment]

2. Well, I'm not a maths person, but those figures

don't look very scary to me.

"For the 18-year period, reports were received of 8 wildlife strikes that resulted in 11
human fatalities (Table 15). Five of these strikes resulting in 7 fatalities involved
unidentified species of birds. Canada geese, white-tailed deer and brown-pelicans were
responsible for the other 4 fatalities. Reports were received of 158 strikes that resulted
in 197 human injuries. Waterfowl (38 strikes, 42 humans injured), vultures (22 strikes,
24 injuries), and deer (18 strikes, 26 injuries) caused 78 (62 percent) of the 125 strikes
resulting in injuries in which the species or species group was identified (Table 15)."

I do have to wonder about the white-tailed deer . . . didn't know they could fly . . . *yes, I know it was probably runway related, but rather odd in the context!*

I'm not saying it isn't a problem, but after looking at the pictures, I feel more sorry for the birds!