BIRD STRIKE Awareness and AVOIDANCE: SAFETY Guide

[@TakingOff]

What a great and well produced video! Thanks Nathan. One note, I did come across the study that showed wigwag lights led to bird avoidance, I’ll try to find that study.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Appreciate it, as always! Thank you @Takingoff. 🙌 I’d love to hear about the wigwag study. I had a conversation with the FAA about their light studies. From what I learned, there is a lot left to be studied. But a lot of excellent work already done to help us all be safer against bird strikes. Let’s chat! Thanks again DM!

[@biffbenson2815]

This may be your best video yet. Obviously a lot of production into this so it was visually outstanding. Also this is totally new info that I never heard of before, nor had most others I spoke to. Great content!

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Thanks Biff! Appreciate the watch and kind words!

[@joshmc]

After hearing some bird strike stories, I make sure I always have my spare eyeglasses secured in the cockpit (side pocket) where I can reach them by feel. Bird strikes should probably be more top-of-mind for me on every flight, so thank you for reinforcing that and giving valuable information. I'm happy you called out some of the myths -- there's a lot of hearsay that goes around disguised as wisdom, and I appreciate your trying to find the source and the data. Awesome video!

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Love the practice of having safety glasses within reach. Hadn’t thought of that. Excellent idea! And thanks again for the footage!

[@EvansBackpackingVideos]

Really great video with great content, thanks. Also, I’m glad you addressed the possibly-mythical “climb to avoid a bird“ rule of thumb. It has always bothered me for the added stall risk for startled, inexperienced pilots close to the ground.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

It’s funny (not funny), but the deeper dives I research on some of these topics like a bird “diving” away from a plane… there just isn’t anything there. You are spot on.. seeing a bird and immediately climbing close to the ground, that’s no good and not based in science. Thank you @Evan for watching and commenting 👊

[@cherylolwell953]

Great content! Thank you for sharing this information and resource….another item to check on my pre-flight planning.

[@paratyshow]

👍✅Great video, excellent information Nathan, tks

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

As always, THANK you for watching and the support. Very very much appreciated!

[@TuomoMooneyFlying]

Really well done video! And AHAS is completely new to me, will definitely add that to my preflight planning. Thanks again!

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Awesome, glad you liked it and the tool too. 🙂… it’s so useful. See you around the hangars!

[@RusscanFLY]

Hey Nathan, what an awesome video! I like the way you break down all the information, and the presentation is top notch. Definitely reach back out to you, and thank you for your support. I am definitely a subscriber, and you are definitely on your way. Keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll talk more, but this video is awesome!

[@Kiwi0Six]

Thanks! This is new to me. My primary instructor once told me to follow the instinct to duck if I saw a bird as it might lessen injury from pieces of windscreen and bird. Not sure my reaction would have been sufficient then and less likely now😢 (We were in bird haven on the Florida coast.)

[@Herbal90]

Excellent video, Nathan.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Thanks a bunch for watching!

[@bensinger297]

Such great information. Thank you for the new tool! I'm sharing this far and wide.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@AlphaKilo.Warrior]

Thanks for this Nathan, I will add your video to my Hartford, CT playlist this is very helpful.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Cool thanks! Glad YT sent your channel into my feed - great stuff!

[@ericmcgrew8952]

Great info! Thanks!

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Thanks Eric!

[@thebadgerpilot]

You very briefly showed it at the end, but pilots should know they can send remnants of a bird (feathers, meat, etc) to the Smithsonian for DNA testing. Not only will they tell you what kind of bird you hit, but they can use it to determine if it’s a local species and try to relocate the birds. In my case, it was a bird that spans all of North America (red head duck) so not much that could be done to change their habits.

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

Such a good point BadgerPilot, thanks for pointing this out. The FAA's strike database is terrific, combined with all the work the Smithsonian Feather Identification Lab, there is a lot to gain for us pilots (and birds) like you said by sending in your samples. I would love to see the report back that you got from them, I am more curious than anything! Thanks for watching!

[@thebadgerpilot]

@@NathanBallardSaferFlying I’ll send it to you!

[@flysport_tedder]

I was disappointed he didn't use the word "snarge".

[@thebadgerpilot]

Nathan did you ever get the report? I tried sending it via Discord but not sure if it went through

[@NathanBallardSaferFlying]

@@thebadgerpilot I did not. You can email if you want to [e-mail]. Thanks!

[@xasanth6318]

I mean it's obvious... don't fly into a bird... and if the bird is sleeping just honk at them :P

[@paulis7319]

What's crazy is when you're washing your plane the next morning and see blood guts and feathers on the struts, not knowing how it got there yesterday.

[@paulis7319]

Also, when you're training where the sun is out, be aware that buzzards hang out around thermals, and glide between them.

[@jamieknight326]

“97% of animal strikes involve birds”…. I’d love to know more about the other 3%!

[@grayharker6271]

As long as you don't get a worm strike!

[@whiplash212345]

Deer probably

[@77Avadon77]

Wild hogs? 🐗