US Airways Airbus A320 crash lands into Hudson river

[Enigma]

Here's a dumb question; Couldn't they just put a wire cage or something in fron of the engine nacelle to keep birds from getting in the engines? Or would that limit airflow too much? I assume that there's a reason they don't do that, but I don't know what it is.

That would just cause a grated bird to be ingested into the engines.

[Enigma]

It sounds like, and I'm totally guessing here, they ran into a flock of geese, and possibly lost both engines. The A320 is designed to fly without much of a problem on one engine.
Those familiar with the North East know how many geese are in the air at this time of year. (hundreds of thousands). This is, after all, bird strike season to us pilots here in the NE...

Myth - Large aircraft are built to withstand all bird strikes.
Fact - Large commercial aircraft like passenger jets are certified to be able to continue flying after impacting a 4-lb bird, even if substantial and costly damage occurs and even if one engine has to be shut down. However, 36 species of birds in North America weigh over 4 lbs and most of these large birds travel in flocks. About 30% of reported strikes by birds weighing more than 4 lbs to civil aircraft in USA, 1990-2002, involved multiple birds. Even flocks of small birds (e.g., starlings, blackbirds) and single medium sized birds (e.g., gulls, ducks, hawks) can cause engine failure and substantial damage.

Myth - If a bird flies into an engine during takeoff and the engine quits, the airplane will crash.
Fact - Large commercial jets are designed so that if any 1 engine is unable to continue generating thrust, the airplane will have enough power from the remaining engine or engines to safely complete the flight. However, because many birds travel in flocks, there is always a possibility that birds will be ingested into multiple engines.

Bonus Myth – Bird strikes never occur at high altitudes.
Fact – It is true that most strikes occur in the airport environment. About 41% of reported strikes with civil aircraft in USA occur while the aircraft is on the ground during take-off or landing and about 75% of strikes occur at less than 500 feet above ground level (AGL). However, over 1,300 strikes involving civil aircraft at heights above 5,000 feet AGL were reported from 1990-2003. The world height record for a strike is 37,000 feet.

Apparently this A320 was near or just above 3'000agl...

[August]

Originally Posted by Enigma

That is very difficult to believe. After all Mt Everest is only 29000 feet high. How could a bird with their high metabolism survive 8 thousand feet higher than that?

[A Very Super Market]

Perhaps he meant meters...No wait, that makes no sense.

Birds cannot survive that far up. Humans can barely survive Everest with no oxygen, and this is 1000 feet higher than that.

[SUBMAN1]

Originally Posted by August

That is very difficult to believe. After all Mt Everest is only 29000 feet high. How could a bird with their high metabolism survive 8 thousand feet higher than that?

Geese can get pretty high up too last I heard.

Found something on it:

Birds are capable of flying at much higher altitudes. Bar-headed Geese are known to cross the Himalayas at 29,500 feet (9,000 m). The world record holder is a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture seen at 37,000 feet (11,300 m.) A Mallard, which struck an airplane at 21,000 feet (6,400 m), holds the record for the highest documented flight altitude for a bird in North America.

[August]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Geese can get pretty high up too last I heard.

Found something on it:

Birds are capable of flying at much higher altitudes. Bar-headed Geese are known to cross the Himalayas at 29,500 feet (9,000 m). The world record holder is a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture seen at 37,000 feet (11,300 m.) A Mallard, which struck an airplane at 21,000 feet (6,400 m), holds the record for the highest documented flight altitude for a bird in North America.

Hmmm, seems like there is a 16kft discrepancy here.