Bird strikes double to 2,200 in three years

[viking9]

The number of birds colliding with planes has nearly doubled over the past few years, according to an air safety watchdog. More than 2,200 reports such  incidents were recorded last year by the Civil Aviation Authority – almost twice the 1,299 'bird strikes' that were recorded  in 2007. The figures show that around three 'significant' collisions take place in Britain every week. The most serious incidents saw pilots put out mayday messages as their engines failed. Other scares have seen planes dumping fuel to make emergency landings and cases where engines caught fire and fumes started to enter the cabin. The CAA report details 315 so-called 'bird strike incidents' in 2011 and 2012 that damaged the aircraft or created a flight safety hazard.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2399551/Birds-hitting-planes-doubles-2-200-years-Air-safety-watchdog-reports-engine-fires-emergency-landings.html#ixzz2cgLmaE1Q