Bird strikes have been a risk to aircraft for nearly as long as they've been around. The event, called Bird Strike, is capable of bringing down small planes such as ultralights and fighters to a large enger plane, as in the case of Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River in New York.
In this video, recorded on September 20 at Coningdsby Air Base, in the United Kingdom, it is possible to see a Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 fighter “experiencing problems” with the local fauna.
According to The Aviationist, the fighter jet was doing touch and go on runway 25 of the military base. After executing a successful circuit, the fighter returns for another go-around. When the plane was already established on the final approach, a pair of birds appeared in front of the fighter.
The pilot acts quickly, conducting an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with the birds. He commands a left wing descent, levels the aircraft and accelerates, going around. Even in a critical phase of the flight, the agile and powerful fighter manages to deviate and follow a new circuit.
According to the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa) of Brazilian Air Force, 85% to 90% of Bird Strike events in Brazil occur when aircraft are in the approach flight phases (as in the video), landing, takeoff and climb.
Still according to the portal mentioned above, collisions with birds are still relatively rare in commercial aviation. However, the situation is different in civil aviation, which suffers an average of USD 1,2 billion in damage each year.
For military aircraft, the situation is more dangerous, especially due to the flight profile that tends to present faster aircraft (decreasing reaction time) flying lower.
For single-engine planes, the risk is even more critical, as in an article shown here on Aeroflap last month. On the occasion we published a video showing the crash of a T-45 Goshawk trainer jet of the US Navy, shortly after colliding with a bird while approaching for landing. The two crew , student and instructor, ejected, with the student suffering serious injuries.
At another event, also in the United Kingdom, a Hawk T.1 jet from the Red Arrows demonstration squadron collided with a bird in the middle of a public performance. The impact was enough to shatter the canopy, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency landing.
