For people who are afraid of flying, turbulence in flight Or cabin panels fly off an airliner are probably one of the scariest things they can imagine. But did you know that a collision with a flock of birds also constitutes a major aerial risk?
In April, 39 flamingos were killed when they collided with an Emirates airliner shortly before it landed in Mumbai, on India’s west coast. Exactly a year earlier, activists had warned against the construction of a second major airport for Mumbai – the Navi Mumbai International Airport, scheduled for completion in 2032 – due to its proximity to two bird sanctuaries and feeding grounds for several species of migratory birds , including pink flamingos.
At airports near the coast, wildlife activity may be higher than inland, putting birds and planes at higher risk of unfortunate encounters. Bird strikes, as these incidents are called, are common.
How did the Emirates plane hit the flock of flamingos?
The Emirates Boeing 777 struck a flock of flamingos about 300 meters above the ground on May 20. Later that night, a group of children in Ghatkopar, a suburb of Mumbai, reported finding flamingo carcasses on the road.
While 29 dead flamingos were found that night, 10 more were discovered the next morning, according to a report in the Indian Express newspaper, citing a forest official.
The airline confirmed the incident two days later.
“The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew disembarked without injury. Unfortunately, a number of flamingos were lost and Emirates is cooperating with authorities on this matter,” a spokesperson told Reuters news agency.
The plane was damaged and the return flight, which was to leave the same day for Dubai, was canceled, the spokesperson added.
What is the risk of birds colliding with planes?
More than 14,000 bird strikes are reported each year in the United States alone, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2022, the UK Civil Aviation Authority reported almost 1,500 bird strikes during the year.
A 2020 study by German researchers from Delft University of Technology and the German Aerospace Center’s Dutch Flight Guidance Institute examined the rate of bird collisions per aircraft movement in several countries around the world . Australia was found to have the highest rate of bird strikes – almost eight per 10,000 aircraft movements. The United States recorded the lowest rate, at 2.83.
Bird strikes rarely occur at higher altitudes. Collisions tend to occur when planes are in the same space where birds usually fly, such as when planes approach, land and depart from airports.
Waterfowl, gulls and raptors are the most common types of birds that come into contact with aircraft in the air, according to reports collected by the U.S.-based Bird Strike Committee.
What causes bird strikes?
Several factors put birds at risk of collision with aircraft.
Birds are naturally attracted to habitats often located around airports, such as open fields, wetlands and bodies of water that serve as feeding and nesting areas.
For example, flamingos typically live in large, shallow lakes and lagoons that may be near land selected for the construction of coastal airports.
Although domestic airports see less avian activity, even the accumulation of water on uneven sidewalks can be enough to attract them.
Many birds are migratory. As a result, their flight paths may cross air traffic routes, including during migration seasons when they make long journeys to move between breeding and feeding grounds.
Birds often fly in groups, which increases the risk of multiple deaths in the event of a collision.
Have people been injured or killed in bird strikes?
A particularly deadly incident occurred in October 1960 when Eastern Airlines Flight 375, a Lockheed Electra plane, was struck by birds. Just 20 seconds after takeoff from Boston’s Logan International Airport, a large flock of European starlings hit the plane’s engines. The plane lost power and crashed into Boston Harbor, killing all but 10 people on board.
In 1988, 35 of 104 people aboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 were killed when it crashed after several birds hit its engines during takeoff from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Over the past 31 years, bird strikes have caused the deaths of 292 people worldwide.
Injuries can also occur. In 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing on the Hudson River after striking a flock of Canadian geese shortly after takeoff. The plane’s engines sucked in the geese after impact and lost power. Although 100 people on board were injured, all 155 passengers and crew were rescued by boats. The incident later became the subject of a Hollywood film, Miracle on the Hudson, starring Tom Hanks.
A decade later, in 2019, a Russian airliner hit a flock of seagulls and had to make an emergency landing in a cornfield near Moscow. The event became known as “Miracle on Ramensk“. Seventy-four of the 233 passengers on board were slightly injured.
Can bird strikes damage airplanes?
In most collisions, birds hit a plane’s windshield or crash into engines, which can sometimes result in an emergency landing or, in rare cases, a crash.
Even a collision that does not cause obvious damage can reduce engine power and increase operating costs.
From 2013 to 2018, bird strikes caused $340 million in damage to aircraft, according to an analysis by insurance company Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty.
The company said insurers received more than 900 bird strike claims during those five years to cover the costs of repairing damaged engines and airframes, which include mechanical structures such as wings. The average claim was $368,000, while some exceeded $16 million.
Can bird-plane collisions be avoided?
Since many bird strikes occur near airports, airport authorities and managers can reduce the risk of collisions through bird management and control. This first involves using a radar system to detect their presence.
In addition to using better detection systems to alert pilots to adjust their flight path, several techniques can be used to scare away birds. Bird distress signals, decoys or the use of sounds and lights are some of the ways birds can be kept away from aircraft near an airport.
Additionally, conservationists also advocate for the creation of safe migratory corridors for birds. These are networks of connected habitats created after the identification of common migratory routes. They provide access to necessary resources such as food, water and resting areas and help maintain biodiversity.
In some cases, these wildlife corridors are naturally existing protected areas. In others, habitats fragmented by human activity can be reconnected.
