How pilots, airports handle bird strikes

Various preventive measures taken, with pilots trained to deal with such incidents

- Esther Loi

In November 2024, a Scoot pilot who had 13 years of flying under his belt encountered a bird strike for the first time in his career.

The aircraft was descending towards Phuket International Airport in Thailand when the Singapore-based captain said he heard a loud thud and felt something impact the nose of the plane.

The pilot, who is in his 40s, scanned the controls to check for possible damage to the plane. He decided it was safer to land before ascertaining what went wrong.

"To be honest, it was not very scary," said the pilot, who requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Upon inspecting the aircraft on the ground, engineers found dents on the plane's nose and wing. The aircraft was then grounded for almost a week for repairs to be completed, noted the pilot.

Bird strikes have entered the spotlight since a deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea in December 2024.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft burst into flames after hitting a wall during an emergency landing at Muan International Airport, killing 179 people on board. One of its pilots had reported a bird strike before the crash.

Early findings show that the jet's engines contained duck DNA and bird feathers. Investigations are ongoing.

A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft in flight, typically during take-off and landing at lower altitudes.

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about 61 per cent of bird strikes with civil aircraft in the country take place during landing, while 36 per cent occur during take-off.

Additionally, the FAA states that about 54 per cent of bird strikes in the US occur from July to October, which is when young birds leave their nests and when autumn migration takes place.