Despite the stress it caused those in the air and on the ground, bird strikes are not uncommon for pilots. "Bird encounters at altitude are rare, although, the highest ever recorded bird strike occurred over the West African coast when a jet collided with a bearded vulture at 37,000 feet!" The CAA said turbine-engine aeroplanes are more vulnerable to bird strikes than piston-engine aeroplanes because of the speed and lower noise level. Despite it being a scary experience for passengers, pilots are trained to handle bird strikes, wherever they collide. David Morgan, Air New Zealand's chief operational integrity and safety officer, said in a statement in 2023 that ''bird strikes are not uncommon''.

Source: Stuff June 19, 2024 03:57 UTC