Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes
Rotary-wing aircraft (e.g., helicopters and tilt-wing aircraft) are an important component of all U.S. military services and the U.S. civil aviation industry. Our analyses of wildlife strikes to military rotary-wing aircraft, both within the United States and during overseas deployments, as well as...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Utah State University
2017-05-01
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Series: | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
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Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol11/iss1/6 |
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author | Brian E. Washburn Paul J. Cisar Travis L. DeVault |
author_facet | Brian E. Washburn Paul J. Cisar Travis L. DeVault |
author_sort | Brian E. Washburn |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Rotary-wing aircraft (e.g., helicopters and tilt-wing aircraft) are an important component of all U.S. military services and the U.S. civil aviation industry. Our analyses of wildlife strikes to military rotary-wing aircraft, both within the United States and during overseas deployments, as well as civil helicopters, have shown there are important patterns within wildlife strike data for flight operations conducted on airfields and during off-airfield missions. Birds accounted for 93% of the wildlife strikes where the animal was identified, and mammals (primarily bats) accounted for 7%. Wildlife impacted all parts of civil helicopters and military rotary-wing aircraft during strike events; however, specific areas were impacted by wildlife with a higher frequency compared to others. We recommend airframe manufacturers and maintenance personnel consider reinforcing and redesigning rotary-wing aircraft windscreens and main rotor systems to better withstand the impact of wildlife. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:15:58Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-2933738268b549c99dad9e4cd9c9b24a |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2155-3874 2155-3874 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:15:58Z |
publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
publisher | Utah State University |
record_format | Article |
series | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
spelling | doaj.art-2933738268b549c99dad9e4cd9c9b24a2022-12-22T01:09:20ZengUtah State UniversityHuman-Wildlife Interactions2155-38742155-38742017-05-0111110.26077/6yvw-8k56Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikesBrian E. Washburn0Paul J. Cisar1Travis L. DeVault2Wildlife Services’ National Wildlife Research CenterAberdeen Test CenterWildlife Services’ National Wildlife Research CenterRotary-wing aircraft (e.g., helicopters and tilt-wing aircraft) are an important component of all U.S. military services and the U.S. civil aviation industry. Our analyses of wildlife strikes to military rotary-wing aircraft, both within the United States and during overseas deployments, as well as civil helicopters, have shown there are important patterns within wildlife strike data for flight operations conducted on airfields and during off-airfield missions. Birds accounted for 93% of the wildlife strikes where the animal was identified, and mammals (primarily bats) accounted for 7%. Wildlife impacted all parts of civil helicopters and military rotary-wing aircraft during strike events; however, specific areas were impacted by wildlife with a higher frequency compared to others. We recommend airframe manufacturers and maintenance personnel consider reinforcing and redesigning rotary-wing aircraft windscreens and main rotor systems to better withstand the impact of wildlife.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol11/iss1/6airfieldscivil aviationmilitary aircraftrotary-wingwildlife strikes |
spellingShingle | Brian E. Washburn Paul J. Cisar Travis L. DeVault Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes Human-Wildlife Interactions airfields civil aviation military aircraft rotary-wing wildlife strikes |
title | Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
title_full | Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
title_fullStr | Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
title_full_unstemmed | Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
title_short | Impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary-wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
title_sort | impact locations and damage to civil and military rotary wing aircraft from wildlife strikes |
topic | airfields civil aviation military aircraft rotary-wing wildlife strikes |
url | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol11/iss1/6 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT brianewashburn impactlocationsanddamagetocivilandmilitaryrotarywingaircraftfromwildlifestrikes AT pauljcisar impactlocationsanddamagetocivilandmilitaryrotarywingaircraftfromwildlifestrikes AT travisldevault impactlocationsanddamagetocivilandmilitaryrotarywingaircraftfromwildlifestrikes |