Late last Monday night, Virgin Australia flight VA 148 encountered a harrowing ordeal shortly after departing from Queenstown, New Zealand, en route to Melbourne. The Boeing 737-800 jet experienced unsettling bangs and flames emanating from its right engine. The pilot swiftly navigated the aircraft with its remaining engine, ensuring a safe emergency landing at Invercargill airport, safeguarding all 73 passengers and crew onboard.
Virgin Australia attributed the alarming incident to a "possible bird strike," highlighting the inherent risks posed by wildlife near airports. However, Queenstown Airport disputed this assertion, asserting no birds were detected on the airfield at the time of departure.
Bird strikes are a persistent threat to aviation safety, occurring daily with varying intensity influenced by migratory patterns and airport environments. The infamous 2009 event involving US Airways Flight 1549, famously piloted by Captain Sully Sullenberger to a successful Hudson River landing after encountering a flock of Canadian geese, underscores the potential severity of such incidents.
Between 2008 and 2017, the Australian Transport Safety Board recorded a staggering 16,626 bird strikes, reflecting the prevalence and ongoing concern within the aviation community. Similarly, in the United States alone, the Federal Aviation Administration reported 17,200 bird strikes in 2022, illustrating the widespread nature of this aviation hazard.
Most bird strikes occur near airports during takeoff, landing, or at lower altitudes, where bird activity is concentrated. The consequences can vary widely depending on the aircraft involved. In the case of the Boeing 737-800, capable of operating on a single engine, the incident led to the shutdown of one engine, necessitating an emergency landing.
Manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus incorporate protective measures against bird strikes in their designs, primarily through turbofan engines equipped with robust fan blades. These engines undergo rigorous testing, including impact tests with high-speed frozen chickens, simulating real-world bird strike scenarios to assess safety and durability.
Pilots receive specialized training to mitigate risks associated with bird strikes, particularly during peak bird activity periods at sunrise and sunset. Radar technology aids in tracking bird movements near airports, though its effectiveness is contingent on local infrastructure and availability.
To mitigate wildlife hazards, airports globally employ diverse strategies outlined by aviation safety authorities. These include auditory deterrents such as small gas explosions mimicking shotgun sounds, as well as landscaping with bird-repelling vegetation to deter birds from airport perimeters.
