Dangerous helicopter bird strikes on the rise, FAA warns

WASHINGTON (AP) — The crew of a Dallas police helicopter was searching for a capsized boat last March, when there was at loud explosion and wind rushed through a huge hole in the windshield.

Reports of helicopter bird strikes are up dramatically in recent years, including incidents, like the one in Dallas, that damage the aircraft and create the potential for crashes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Other large-bird species with rising populations include bald eagles, wild turkeys, turkey vultures, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, Sandhill cranes, great blue herons and ospreys.

Despite the increase in big birds and overall bird strikes, the number of incidents in which airliners and other fixed-wing planes suffered serious damage from a bird strike has been dropped.

Roach and his colleagues at FAA's helicopter directorate are urging that a special industry committee be established with government backing to examine whether there should be changes in the standards for helicopter construction and operation to better protect against bird strikes.

"The high percentage of windshields damaged for helicopters, combined with the disproportionate number of human injuries, indicates that improvements are needed in windshield design and strength for these aircraft," a 2005 FAA-Department of Agriculture report on bird strikes urged.

An engineer for the Helicopter Association International, which represents operators, told the advisory committee that air medical services are reporting about one helicopter bird strike a week.