Does a bird really affect the engine so much that it creats a plane crash? an aviation expert and teacher that i know saids that a medum sized bird will not do anything but creat a bit of a glitch in the flight.

One or two birds don't really cause to many problems unless they strike a small plane like in that video. It's flocks of birds that cause the problems.

An engine can fail for any number of reasons- ingesting birds is only one possible cause.
The record shows that there have been crashes due to this, usually when a large aircraft loses power in both engines during takeoff after flying through a flock of birds. One bird  might damage a large jet engine, but probably not enough to cause complete loss of thrust. Airports try to keep birds away, but it's a constant battle, as airports are often very attractive to flocking birds (wide open space, and often near water). So it happens sometimes.

The thing pilots of smaller aircraft fear more is a bird striking the windshield... I'd rather have a broken engine than a face full of Plexiglass and bird guts...

a1 wrote on Mar 29^th, 2007 at 11:30pm:



Bearing in mind that bird ingestion happens hourly around the world somewhere and the news and papers are not full of plane crashes, the simple answer is no. However, simple is not always the correct answer. In extreme cases, yes it can and has brought down aircraft. At the airport I work at, in the next couple of months, bird strikes will almost be a daily occurance but no biggy. Last year a 737-800 ingested a mouse buzzard on thrust reverse. The only reason the crew knew about it was a passenger reported seeing a feather fountain around the engine to one of the cabin crew. The cockpit crew on debrief said there was no engine parameter fluctuation to indicate the strike. We washed it out and carried out the following......Generally this involves cleaning a red grease spot of the aircraft. Engine ingestion happens, but the response to that ingestion takes two different paths with the 737. Firstly if the bird has been ingested, nine times out of ten centrifugal force throws the bird remains to the outside of the fan and out of the bypass. If this is the case, a visual inspection front and rear with a torch is all that is requires. If the bird has entered the core engine (bearing in mind that the air intake ring for the core is only about  four inch circumference behind the first stage fan this also helps the nine out of ten factor) then the engine has to be boroscope inspected. No damage, up she goes again.

Matt

ozzy72 wrote on Mar 30^th, 2007 at 4:32pm:

Good advice. I guess I'm off to hunt pigeons.

Depends on what parts are hit

Main intake fans you see on most demo videos are turning way slower than the smaller ones deeper in the engine.
F-16s dont have the large fans up front.

Big fan can get a few dents and bent blades witout vibrating to death, the smaller ones disintegrate.

Best solution is a rack of static cutters in front (like some old PW engines had)

It is a serious enough problem that I have to file a report everytime a bird is hit at my airport.  There is the potential for disaster in a bird strike, but the bird has to have good aim.   

Flying Trucker wrote on Apr 5^th, 2007 at 10:00pm:


I am sure that Brussels are already working some nice rules and the Germans and Brits are working out how much tax our feathered friends should pay. More during holiday and rush hour no doubt and if they fly mid morning they get a small discount.

Matt