Civilian Aviation

This is complicated ! This rotary arrived at Norwich today, gossip has it that it was a demonstration for SaxonAir and was to do a couple of flights !! So I was there and collected a few photos of it's initial arrival .... then later in the day on the local spotters website I read that it is grounded following a birdstrike .... little did I realise the birdstrike was prior to my photos ... I heard nothing on the radio (may have missed it doh) .... did not realise until much later in the day that I have photos of the damage doh again !!
So a collection of what I have of the incident .... and a photo from later in the day of it being towed from the hangar with what looks like a 'borrowed part' ....

Keith

G-MUZZ arriving looking very innocent ... I thought ?




Best I can do of the damage !!


And the 'repair'

Nicely caught. That's a nice looking helicopter and some rather noticeable damage that you didn't notice

Thanks 'TheMightyOz' Yes how did I miss it ???? I don't normally look at my photos in the camera in any detail ! always wait till I get home and load them onto my laptop ! but as you say how could I miss that ? and how come with the scanner on did I miss any communication about it ? .... if there was any ???? Confused . com !

Keith

Hi Keith,

The helicopter had the bird strike when it was flying over the show ground on the way to the airport. The pilot said it was lucky it did not hit the screen! It put a large hole in the aircraft and made alot of mess!!

Steve

Nicely caught. Shame they couldn't find anything other than a bright yellow cowling to replace the damaged one I think if the crew had declared an emergency the AFRS would have met them on landing, as well as you hearing stuff over R/T. Maybe they didn't realise they had a birdstrike that had caused damage, or they decided it wasn't serious (i.e. all systems fully functional with no warnings). At least there's plenty of remains to identify the species (the CAA like to know the species when filing a mandatory birdstrike report) - I'd guess at a common buzzard, but others will know more than me on that (over to you Andy!)

Thanks Steve ! Yes very lucky it didn't hit the windscreen ! could have been so much worse ????

PorkScratching ! Thank you also ! It's strange the lack of R/T ... or did I miss it ?? as for the species ... well it looks large ... but who knows ?? thanks again !

Keith

I looked at your photos and the damage looked a bit odd, i didn't realise the bird/buzzard was still attached to the aircraft

Thanks mach one ! Yes it seems fairly complete as well ? no inner parts strewn all over as often happens ?? I think it was terminal for the bird though !!

Keith

The helicopter is still in the Saxon hangar, the 'new' body part didn't fit, so will be in for a few more days!!

Steve

A different twist to this story ! Following it's spell in the hangar .... it was lifted onto a transporter and roaded out with rotors removed, obviously, and registration taped over !! So maybe the damage was more serious ?????

Keith

G-MUZZ.