Reporting Bird Strikes

[TangoWhiskey]

If you hit a bird, you're asked to complete FAA form 5200-7 to report it.

What I was unaware of is the Smithsonian's National Museum of National History's Feather Identification Unit, to which pilots are asked to send some of the feathers and remains (instructions are provided on the web site) so they can accurately identify the type of bird you hit.

That's pretty cool... not a job I'd want, but cool that the service is there and is free, to increase the accuracy of reporting avian hazards to aviation.

 

[timwinters]

FIFY!

That's pretty cool... not a job I'd want, but cool that the service is there and is free, to increase the accuracy of reporting aviation hazards to avians.

 

[Skylane81E]

Tim, your avatar is perfect you know that right?

 

[jesse]

I smoked one in a 182 loaded up with skydivers as we were rotating a few weeks ago. They all got very quiet...

 

[nddons]

Yikes, Jesse! What happened to the leading edge, and do you know what kind of bird?

 

[timwinters]

Troy,

Shortly after Sulley put his bird in the river, NPR did a pretty neat article on the Smithsonian's bird identification program. Those people seemed to be really into it. Actually it was easy to find:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99474333

And the team leader? Carla Dove, of course.

Tim, your avatar is perfect you know that right?

Surely you jest!