A Drone Hits a Plane

damoncooper · Apr 22, 2016

GizaDog said:
Plastic bags have rights.

Plastic bags have rights too

ATU · Apr 22, 2016

damoncooper said:
Plastic bags have rights too

Personally, I prefer the other kind of plastic bags that bounce..

damoncooper · Apr 22, 2016

Hold on, I found the problem.

ATU · Apr 22, 2016

damoncooper said:
Hold on, I found the problem.

See? This guy likes the bouncing kind too..

Jimmykjimmy · Apr 23, 2016

Phatzo said:
i am not bagatelizing this but how sure are they to really be it a drone?
also, it shows that when struck actually nothing really happens... luckiely of course and i also hope it turns out not to be a drone.
if yes the operator should as said above see a big *** charge for doing something reckless like this.

however, imo it shows that the "danger" of a collision is overhyped in some sort. it is dangerous: yes and it should not be taken off the shoulder easaly, a but real threat?
it bounced off probably like a tennis ball hitting the racket you hit it with...

the video is also a negative campaign rather than informative only outlining the bad things.

there will always be dumb as*es like everywhere... 18 dear old get a car for b-day... maybe a rich kid... goes and hits the tree or kills someone...

its a circle.

i repeat and express out that i am not condoning what happened apperantly.

You know, think of the physics of this happening. The plane was at 4400 ft, traveling about 300mph on a glide path to landing.
The drone weighs about 6 lbs, maximum speed 35mph. Lots of turbulence surrounding that plane. The drone operator,at those distances can't see it and may not even have RC contact. And the fence around Heathrow is huge.
So was this just a 1 in a million accident, or no drone at all but a bird etc. I'm a little suspect of this report after seeing the FOIA FAA report of 8/15/15 detailing that pilot reports were never confirmed.

BRENT HABBESHAW · Apr 23, 2016

ringolong said:
Drone Strikes Plane At Heathrow Airport

Thought to be ! Ummh, not sure, so blame it on a drone, typical ******* press reporters!

markus_e · Apr 23, 2016

there are MANY people waiting for strict laws against private use of drones, so that is exactly the type of headlines they need to push that.
I only believe that if there is evidence.

Jason Woodcock · Apr 23, 2016

Ladies and gents let me set the record straight on this one.

I personally spoke with the director of Heathrow airport face to face at the security and counter terrorism expo in London last week where my company UAS FLIGHT OPS was demonstrating the capabilities and usages for drones within that sector.

They do not know it was a drone they were sure it had to be 'a big one!' As in their opinion a small one couldn't fly 1700 meters high!!

I assured them it could but they were adamant a phantom couldn't get that high! I offered to walk outside and demonstrate this (centre of London)

My offer was declined

That jus about sums up the knowledge and understanding of what drones can and can't do at certain levels in aviation.

I had given a talk the evening before in Whitehall hopefully some of what I talked about will be listened too!

Eduardo · Apr 23, 2016

This happens in Brasil every year, as some communities have the "tradition" of sending up hot air baloons (unmanned), many of them carrying a propane tank which can weigh up to 15 kg:

VisualChaos · Apr 23, 2016

It is belived now that 'said drone' was in fact a plastic bag!!! Still being hit by 'drone' is far more exciting isn't it.....

ATU · Apr 23, 2016

Eduardo said:
This happens in Brasil every year, as some communities have the "tradition" of sending up hot air baloons (unmanned), many of them carrying a propane tank which can weigh up to 15 kg:

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This is what I found out. Seems much more dangerous to me but at least it's only in Brazil..

BRAZIL AIRSPACE

IFALPA has been made aware of the launching of balloons across Brazil. This is a common practice in Brazil, originally used for cultural and religious festivals, the balloons are now used in competitions with many organised groups involved. The competitions have prizes which involve large amounts of money and have become very popular. These balloons can be from 2-60 metres long, and in competitions often 100+ metres. They weigh over 2 tons in weight and often carry up to 300 kg of fireworks. They operate all through the year but there is a higher incidence between April and July. There have been reports of balloons being seen at FL 240 and some reports where at FL370 more than 50 balloons were observed at various levels below and some higher. There are reports where one such balloon had landed on fire on the Apron of an airport and ground staff had to take significant actions to ensure it did not endanger the aircraft parked there. There have also been reports of these balloons operating very close the arrival and departure lanes of airports making operations very difficult to remain clear of the balloon and make a safe landing or departure.

Eduardo · Apr 23, 2016

ATU said:
This is what I found out. Seems much more dangerous to me but at least it's only in Brazil..

BRAZIL AIRSPACE

IFALPA has been made aware of the launching of balloons across Brazil. This is a common practice in Brazil, originally used for cultural and religious festivals, the balloons are now used in competitions with many organised groups involved. The competitions have prizes which involve large amounts of money and have become very popular. These balloons can be from 2-60 metres long, and in competitions often 100+ metres. They weigh over 2 tons in weight and often carry up to 300 kg of fireworks. They operate all through the year but there is a higher incidence between April and July. There have been reports of balloons being seen at FL 240 and some reports where at FL370 more than 50 balloons were observed at various levels below and some higher. There are reports where one such balloon had landed on fire on the Apron of an airport and ground staff had to take significant actions to ensure it did not endanger the aircraft parked there. There have also been reports of these balloons operating very close the arrival and departure lanes of airports making operations very difficult to remain clear of the balloon and make a safe landing or departure.

No man's land.. (and I live there). It's a miracle no plane was hit in so many years.

Tq2Jetman · Apr 23, 2016

Official word from the desk of Royal Aeronautical Society is the event is still under investigation:
Royal Aeronautical Society | Insight Blog | Tracking down rogue drone operators

damoncooper · Apr 23, 2016

Tq2Jetman said:
Official word from the desk of Royal Aeronautical Society is the event is still under investigation:
Royal Aeronautical Society | Insight Blog | Tracking down rogue drone operators

They have egg on their faces now. They'll hide behind bureaucracy.

It was a plastic bag.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Ikopta · Apr 24, 2016

GizaDog said:
Highly educated commercial airline pilot misidentifies a plastic bag as a drone! No outrage!!!

Hopefully they were concentrating on the landing

Getting the Shot · Apr 24, 2016

A collision between a drone and an airliner is highly impossible. The airflow that is moving over, under and all around the airliner is so great that it would push the drone away from itself and let's not forget to mention the speed the airliner is moving even on its final approach.

Someone posted earlier that someone saw it happen. That really starts to make the story that much more unbelievable because airliners do not come down anywhere near 5000 feet unless they are taking off, landing or flying in a circuit pattern. So this person who witnessed this happen has a visual super power NOT!

It appears to be one of those situations. If enough people talk about it then it becomes true.

AllanM · Apr 24, 2016

Getting the Shot said:
A collision between a drone and an airliner is highly impossible......

^^ Managed to hit a plastic bag though....

The Editor · Apr 24, 2016

Getting the Shot said:
A collision between a drone and an airliner is highly impossible. The airflow that is moving over, under and all around the airliner is so great that it would push the drone away from itself and let's not forget to mention the speed the airliner is moving even on its final approach.

Someone posted earlier that someone saw it happen. That really starts to make the story that much more unbelievable because airliners do not come down anywhere near 5000 feet unless they are taking off, landing or flying in a circuit pattern. So this person who witnessed this happen has a visual super power NOT!

It appears to be one of those situations. If enough people talk about it then it becomes true.

What about the 'impossibility' of one being ingested into the intake of an engine?

IrishSights · Apr 24, 2016

Getting the Shot said:
A collision between a drone and an airliner is highly impossible. The airflow that is moving over, under and all around the airliner is so great that it would push the drone away from itself and let's not forget to mention the speed the airliner is moving even on its final approach.

Someone posted earlier that someone saw it happen. That really starts to make the story that much more unbelievable because airliners do not come down anywhere near 5000 feet unless they are taking off, landing or flying in a circuit pattern. So this person who witnessed this happen has a visual super power NOT!

It appears to be one of those situations. If enough people talk about it then it becomes true.

The physics you describe does not work with a drone and an aircraft. It was discussed not that long ago in thread here. Experts weighed in...it would not be pushed out of the way.