A Most Unusual Flight! | That Was Too Close!!

Seeing and avoiding birds is in our mutual interest. We got a bit too close on this flight but we worked together to avoid an impact.
We were climbing out and that’s when we encountered a massive flock of Seagulls at 3,500 feet. It’s hard to see in the cameras but I spotted them just in time to take evasive action. I was slow and in the climb, there was no way I could go over them like you should so I turned slightly north, pushed hard forward on the yoke and tried to get low and behind them. It worked for 99% of the seagulls but this one guy wasn’t going to let me off that easy! He dove and I turned and we both were able to do the right things to avoid each other - he was one heck of an aviator!!
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[@rauldiaz5315]

As a air medical guy my best advice is to power up and climb and put the nose a bit high so if you do hit it its not going through the windscreen. I've hit 6 birds and mostly its just a bloody mess with no damage. On the 172 I fly we hit a bird and pushed the leading edge in. Birds like to tuck their wings in and dive that's why I climb and pick up the nose. Great videos and glad everything went well.

[@GingerThePlane]

Thank you, Raul, that’s great advice! I was in a climb already (at 71 knots) with little option for additional climb performance. I’m glad it was a close call and not an impact, keeping eyes out of the cockpit definitely helped 👍 Thanks for watching and welcome to Ginger’s channel.

[@LTMCMedia]

Absolutely want to fly again with Ginger! That one seagull just got distracted by how pretty the plane is;)

[@GingerThePlane]

Ha! That’s kind of you my friend! Glad to have had you along for the ride that night. You’re welcome to fly in Ginger anytime!!

[@eugeneweaver3199]

😮 Holy seagull! This is why ya gotta keep them 👀 on a swivel! Great job, thanks for sharing! 👍

[@GingerThePlane]

Thanks Eugene! Agree 100%, another great thing about flying behind a Dynon is the extra time spent looking outside the cockpit. 👍

[@GlensHangar]

Too close for comfort! Luckily you spotted them and were able to take evasive action. So unpredictable.

[@GingerThePlane]

Thanks Glen! That wasn’t in my flight planning for the evening, that’s for sure! Much too close but training and reflexes fortunately kicked in, grateful for a good outcome!!

[@HugoHugunin]

My only near miss was at KSJC. Cleared to land 31R, I looked down to do my final checklist items and in my peripheral vision, I pick up a movement to my right at the same altitude. A single profanity and my first-time-ever-in-a-plane passenger was treated to me swerving and diving. The Cessna was directly overhead and getting ready to land. A *_LOT_* of -swearing and cursing- non-standard radio to the tower. They finally got ahold of him on the KRHV tower frequency and he _casually_ added power and flew absolutely down the centerline. As many times as I screamed at the tower to have him sideslip over the taxiway, he seemed to ignore him. I lodged a complaint with the tower and the FAA gave this 400+ hour pilot a 6 month vacation to do some light reading on how to fly safely. In the end, I apologized profusely to my passenger who had been oblivious to the danger. No birds!

[@GingerThePlane]

Thanks incredible! Wow, glad you were ok!! 👍

[@FreedomfixerFlying]

Wow, a Flock of Seagulls! And I would have run, I run so far away.....

[@GingerThePlane]

“…couldn’t get away!” I was thinking about that song, too funny!! Must be our age, immediately came to mind when it happened, glad it wasn’t closer than it was!! Hey, are you planning to go to the NW Aviation Conf this weekend? I’ll be there tomorrow late morning, early afternoon.

[@billyplew6004]

I live in the san juans and fly all the time I stopped into lynden a couple of days ago and saw you with the eaa chapter In N21295 hope to see you again

[@GingerThePlane]

Hi Billy, thanks for stopping in to Lynden, I was busy presenting and appreciate you joining us in the Pilots Lounge. I’ll look for your call sign and will be sure to say hello next time. 👍✈️🍀

[@ellonysman]

A real adventure with the real birds of "Angry Birds" game. Glad he didnt have the guts to mess up your Ginger.

[@GingerThePlane]

Ha! Exactly right, me too!! He was definitely not trying to hit Ginger but his efforts to get below me were almost his last act. Glad we both had the opportunity to fly another day 👍👍

[@ellonysman]

@@GingerThePlane Roger that. PS: I visited your little A38 on MFS2020 lol.

[@GingerThePlane]

@ellonysman its amazing what you can find in MFS2020! A friend flies in it and his favorite airport is Orcas Island KORS. One detail, it’s 38W (Lynden, WA), A38 is Bristol Airport in the UK I believe …😉👍

[@SimonButler]

That was incredibly close! The cameras never really capture how close things look, and it looked close even on camera.

[@GingerThePlane]

Exactly right! I’m glad we maintained a safe separation, for his sake and ours. Awareness that there may be birds (so look for them) and preparation (knowing what I’d do if…) made it easier to deal with. I don’t know what more I could have done to mitigate the situation. 👍

[@trainsplanesandautomobiles2547]

I’m never disappointed whenever you upload😁

[@GingerThePlane]

Thanks for that! This wasn’t a planned topic, the seagull stole the show! 😉😁👍✈️🍀

[@SkyCruiser162]

That panel is beautiful!! 👌🏽

[@GingerThePlane]

Much appreciated! It’s being updated again and has even more capability than before, ❤️ Dynon!

[@sagobhago]

The birds cannot climb 500 fpm but can descend 1000 fpm. So if able pulling up the nose is a good option

[@GingerThePlane]

Agree 100% unfortunately I was already in a climb and they were above me. My low energy state left few options but to stop the climb and turn away quickly. All good in the end, that seagull and I lived to fly another day 👍🍀

[@Wardog22476]

About 2 years ago, i almost flew into 2 adult size eagles. We were so close, the eagle look at me, as how I look back at him and we perfectly over my head while over Williamsport airport KIPT. Severe months later after that, I nearly hit an Eagle turning to downwind, and a turkey vulture dive bomb away from the downwind runway threshold. After that third and final landing. I turn tail and went home after getting my day currency. Worse is the birds aren’t squawking ADS-B nor not paying attention 😂😂😂

[@GingerThePlane]

Wow, that’s a lot of bird encounters, glad they all worked out for you! 👍 We have ducks and eagles near most airports so many PNW pilots take that into account, loitering at 3500’ wasn’t something I expected! Thanks for watching and welcome to Ginger’s channel. 👍✈️🍀