Bird-strikes (bats, reptiles, too): 82,000!
Posted April 24, 2009 10:45 AM
The Swamp
by Mark Silva
Talk about transparency.
Talk about something else to worry about:
More than 82,000 bird-strikes against airplaines -- well make that bird and bat and reptile strikes, actually -- have been reported since 1990 in the United States.
"Terrestial mammals and reptiles?'' In the sky?
The Federal Aviation Administration wanted to keep the records sealed, in the aftermath of the goose-strike that downed the US Airways flight that Captain "Sully'' Sullenberger so valiantly and famously landed on the icy Hudson River.
Now Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who said that if the government can release torture memos it certainly can divulge bird-strike records, has made good on a promise to get that data-base up on the FAA's Website this week.
It's there, today, in all its bloody detail (illustrated): Globally, the report notes, wildlife strikes have killed more than 219 people and destroyed over 200 aircraft since 1988
more...
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/04/birdstrikes_bats_reptiles_too.htmland more here...
http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html#access