Talk about misplacing your fears.. Airplanes typically cruise at around 33,000 feet; there are no birds that high. All bird-related accidents happen upon take-off and landing, but even then they are barely a threat. The numbers I heard, in the last twenty years or so, there have been about two hundred deaths world-wide due to birds colliding with airplanes and I'm not sure what percentage of that is for commercial airliners versus general aviation. Birds hitting airplanes is probably the least-likely way you can perish.
I'll even bet $5,000 of my own money that neither you, nor anyone you personally know will be killed by a bird colliding with an aircraft, ever.
I'll take that bet, please.
Re:Why we can't stop birds downing aircraft
by raamdev on Saturday January 17, 2009 @05:59PM
(#438713)
I don't know much about the engineering stuff behind this, but if fuel inefficiency is the only real reason they don't want to add grills, then why not have a mechanical system that removes the grill after they pass a particular altitude (where flocks of birds don't exist) and then add the grill again for landing?
There is a entrepreneurial/engineer solution needed here! They rule out adding grilles due to fuel inefficiency, but what about rigging airplanes with the sound deterrents used on the ground - bird radar triggers these sounds? Just a thought...they'd probably have to be crazy insane loud.
I hope someone creates a solution soon! I dont want to land my next flight in the Hudson (chances are slim but still)!