Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2002 11:44:09 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-1850432@logan.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
From: "Lorn H. Olsen" <lorn@dynacomm.ws>
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On 10/07/02, out over the Gulf of Mexico, on my way to Venice, FL, on 
a direct course from about 30 miles east of Tallahassee to Venice, at 
11,500 ft.(density altitude 14,000 ft.), at 185 kts., I hit a bird.

It happened very fast. I saw a black dot in front and on the left and 
heard a thump. I had no time to do anything. After the strike, the 
first thing that I did was to check all of the engine gauges and make 
sure that the engine was still OK. It was. Next I tested the 
controls. The controls still felt OK.

I then looked around to see if I could see where it had hit. I could. 
On the left wing about 8" back from the leading edge and about 1/2 
way between the wing attach and the wing tip I could see the mark. 
There was a streak about 6" wide and about 18" long. I reported the 
strike to Jacksonville Center and continued the flight.

When on the ground in Venice, I could see that there was no damage 
and the bird feathers wiped away with a damp cloth. What a relief for 
me. To bad for the bird.

Had the bird been flying 8" lower, I think that I would have had much 
more serious wing damage. This letter is to let you know that birds 
can be at any altitude. Keep your eyes open, stay on the alert and 
have fun flying.

Sincerely,
-- 
Lorn H. 'Feathers' Olsen, MAA, DynaComm, Corp.
248-478-4301, mailto:lorn@dynacomm.ws
LNC2, O-320-D1F, N31161, Y47, SE Michigan