for those who've lost planes to birds.

[Balil]

i was out flying my stryker this afternoon and as im flying a group of buzzards start comming closer to see what is in their airspace.. one of which got a little to close for comfort. i poured on the coal, and came up under one of them missing it by mearly inches. i guess i ruffled his feathers as i screamed past him, that him and his buddies were no longer interested in my little stryker, in fact they avoided flying anywhere near my field. even at an altitude i dont care to take the stryker up to because of visual purposes. after i landed and came back inside to charge the battery i got a good giggle out of the entire ordeal... i thought of it as a bit of revenge for those of us who've been attacked by birds while flying.

[Don Sims]

LOL, revenge is sweet!

[gsk11740]

I had a Hawk come after one of my slower planes. I managed to get away from him (her?) with no damage to the plane or the Hawk but it wasn't easy. The Hawk was determined to have that funny looking yellow and white "bird" for breakfast.

I dare the Hawk to try it with my Mini Ultra Stick! <Evil laugh>

Haven't seen him since though.

[Slowjohn]

I had a friend tell me about his clubs dealings with some Birding Preservationist Group out on the West Coast. Seems the flying field they'd used for many years was home to some type of Quail if I remember correctly. The Birding group decided that the flying of the RC planes was bad for the population of these mostly ground dwelling feathered friends and even though the club was able to prove that the birds in question had actually thrived better at the flying site than surrounding areas not frequented by RC Hobbiest, the so called "Friends of the Birds" alarmist preservationist got the "Powers That Be" (Court System) to make them find another site to fly so as to "Not Bother the Birds" :confused:. Geez, if I'm being bothered I'm not going to be in the mood to :D :D :D uh- oh yeah, be pro-creative. So how is it that this group of birds faired better than those that weren't bothered by the airplanes flying around in the wild?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping protect critters that need protecting but to take the action they did in the name of "Protecting" the birds even though they had thrived better under the clubs attention than on their own in the wild says a lot to me about these groups. I'll let you all draw your own conclusions but it might be best not to give these "Alarmist" any more of a reason to harrass us.
It's a shame we have to be so careful in what we say about our hobby in a public forum so as not to give these "Alarmist" types any arguements they could use against us. I myself get quite nervous when large birds or even flocks of small birds enter the same airspace as I'm using. I myself quickly land to avoid damage to my own aircraft, not to protect the birds. I don't know of anyone who would purposely try and damage or destroy their models by trying to bring down a large bird with it but I'm afraid that these close calls could be used against us at some point in the future.

SJ

[Balil]

it was funny, cause there were 7-8 of em, and only 1 of them got close enough to do anything with.

[Carjacker]

Well, I've delt with birds a lot of the time, but revenge is sweet. Especially when you hit them with the plane.
( Of course they took peices out of it first. )

[redgiki]

A hawk once attacked my Great Planes Spirit. He has continued to defend his turf every time I've flown in that area. He ignores my other planes, though.

My suspicion is that the behavior of the Spirit -- circling, hunting for thermals -- is very similar to that of another hunting bird, and he wants to save the hunting ground for himself.


He's never made contact yet, but he's come down on it in a screaming dive, claws outstretched, ruining a nice 15-minute flight before!

[Slowjohn]

A hawk once attacked my Great Planes Spirit. He has continued to defend his turf every time I've flown in that area. He ignores my other planes, though.

My suspicion is that the behavior of the Spirit -- circling, hunting for thermals -- is very similar to that of another hunting bird, and he wants to save the hunting ground for himself.


He's never made contact yet, but he's come down on it in a screaming dive, claws outstretched, ruining a nice 15-minute flight before!

I would agree, that would ruin a flight for me also.

Just in case some of you aren't aware of the laws, harassment and or the harming/killing of Game Birds (RC aircraft isn't an approved method), Birds of Prey and Scavengers is Against the Law and do carry some very stiff fines.
I myself can't stand Seagulls. I marvel at their flying abilities and have spent many hours on the back deck of a boat studying their flight but I still have a strong dislike for them. I have often dreamt of equipping a large Warbird with a Paintball system using bright Neon colors to paint their tailfeathers with. I figured it'd drive the Bird Watching Tourist crazy trying to indentify the strangely colored birds. After thinking about it I asked a Game Warden friend of mine about it and he told me the fine could be $1,000 per bird if someone were to report me, :eek: & Ouch!!! So much for hunting the Enemy Seagulls :(.

SJ

[robertloop]

Hmmmm.... Sea Gull splatting? Sounds like a new sport!!! ;) I think I would use purple paint balls.. Each pilot could have his own signature color. You guys meet me at the local dump for some splatting? Ten bucks to who gets one with ground based artillary. An anti air-crap gun? heh

[gwalch]

Geez.. don't get me started on birds attacking planes.
We have a couple of families of Wedge Tailed Eagles at one of our flying sites.. and 1 family in particular is very territorial.
Have a look at: http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~gwalch/gallery.htm (http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/%7Egwalch/gallery.htm)
Check out the Videos and the Wedge Tailed Eagle Attack

We have lost many a plane to her attacks.
1 bloke in the club had the whole plane taken away.. it was found about 15km (9 Mile) away in a local quarry by one of the workers who saw the eagle on the ground chewing something orange up.

Her mate will fly just out from us.. just playing around.. doing stalls like a rollercoaster. Up Down Up Down.. and whilst we are busy watching him.. in she comes.
Her attacks always vary.. sometimes from behind us over the trees.. sometimes down the valley (below the horizon) and then up and attack.. sometimes just hanging about above us waiting for the right moment.
She will also chase you all the way to the ground.
The only thing she cannot do is a loop.. and that's the best way to avoid her. Provided you have the airspeed and see her in time.
Favourite attack is from behind.. where she will crush the tails of the gliders.. so you have no elevator control.
We've tried placing meat out for her to take away and eat.. but nope.. she still wants to play.
She would have a wingspan of about 2.5M (8.2 ft) and is all claws and feathers.

This is what she did to my Edge RC Devastator.
Snapped control horn.. bent rod.. snapped aerial.. and large chucks of foam gouged out.
http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/%7Egwalch/images/100_0334.JPG

You can see from the grass in the prop that there was no control had of the plane after the attack due to no aerial snap.

At the end of the day.. she is a pain in the butt if you want to fly a good model out there.. but if you have a small foamie with motor on the back who is willing to run shotgun.. then it's all fun.
She will generally bugger off after a while when chasing the foamie as she usually cannot catch it.. unless the pilot is being silly.

They are a protected bird here in Australia so we cannot and WILL NOT hurt them. They are part of the fun of flying and we are in THEIR domain.

But I tell ya what.. they are awesome to watch when flying. True masters.

I think I've said enuff.. geez I don't talk this much all day!!

Hoo Roo.. happy landings

[Balil]

this is why im glad to be on the attacking end of the whole bird of prey story.... its funny as hell to see buzzards run from a stryker thats on their 6

[gwalch]

this is why im glad to be on the attacking end of the whole bird of prey story.... its funny as hell to see buzzards run from a stryker thats on their 6

yeah... that's why we usually use the Devastator to run shotgun.. as it goes Warp 10 and she's not took keen on it coming up her pucker so she tends to "flap" off.
It just so happens the day she got it.. the pilot (who shall remain anonymous for fear of incriminating himself) ;-) was playing silly buggers and seeing how close he could let her get before powering off.
The worst we would do to her is fly up behind her in an effort to spook her off.. we would never try to intentionally hit her with the plane.

P.S. I Like your sig.. it's so true.

[USAPatriot]

LOL, revenge is sweet!

I don't see how harrassing wildlife is amusing, and I've been a hunter for over 30 some-odd years - 6 Deer, 2 Elk, 14 Coyotes, hundreds of Prairie Dogs plus Cottontails, Jack Rabbits, Doves, Quail and Rattlers have all been my prey. But there's also always been respect for the animals. Some people get off on watching P. dawgs cartwheeling after a good 300 yard shot. There's videos everywhere on just that subject but no respect at all.

It's their sky and the only thing we have to lose here is a plane. They need the sky to live. We don't need the planes. We could at least leave them to do their thing and fly elsewhere, without harrassing them. Shrug. -Rod-

[gwalch]

I don't see how harrassing wildlife is amusing, and I've been a hunter for over 30 some-odd years - 6 Deer, 2 Elk, 14 Coyotes, hundreds of Prairie Dogs plus Cottontails, Jack Rabbits, Doves, Quail and Rattlers have all been my prey. But there's also always been respect for the animals. Some people get off on watching P. dawgs cartwheeling after a good 300 yard shot. There's videos everywhere on just that subject but no respect at all.

It's their sky and the only thing we have to lose here is a plane. They need the sky to live. We don't need the planes. We could at least leave them to do their thing and fly elsewhere, without harrassing them. Shrug. -Rod-

Harrassing wildlife??? We are not the ones blowing them away.
Where is the respect in that?? They are also a living thing!!
Blimey!!

Enuff said!!

[Balil]

USApatriot, the buzzard was fine, it fell for about 10-15 feet after the contact before flapping away. extremely starteled im sure. i hunt myself, with many feral hogs, squirells, and hairs, and all of them were killed for food.. it wasnt my intention to harm the bird in any way. i just wanted to give them a little taste of bitter sweet revenge.

[FlyingMonkey]

I must say, one of my more enjoyable flights was while out with my slow stick, some crows decided to check the plane out. We cirlced around together for a while. They got bored and left. It was both an anxious moment, because I was still very new at flying, and relaxing to see myself joining some masters of the sky.

[Balil]

flying with birds is fun until they deciede to attack... ive lost a few planes to agressive birds of prey...

[Airhead]

I've had birds come to see what this strange colored bird was in their airspace. But never any close encounters.. Not yet anywoo..

[Bill G]

The small birds at my buddies large yard/field used to come after my GP Hellcat in flocks. Amazing it never went down from it. The plane had a geared 180 brushed in it, at the time. No problem now, with a different motor. Turned things the other way around now.:D

I never even lost planes to fly-offs, only trees:
A few weeks back, I went to the park at 4:45 in the morning, first light, to start back on trying to get my plane out of a tree. I thought if it fell out during the night, I wanted to be the first to get there.

Considering that there are a lot of honest folks from the neighborhood, who are the ones to go there early for walks, its possible that they would return it if found, WITH YOUR NAME IN IT.

Since then, I've started putting my name/address/phone# in my planes.:D

Flying with birds is fun until they deciede to attack... Ive lost a few planes to agressive birds of prey...Did you at least manage to take at least one of the birds out too, in the process?:D

I don't see how harrassing wildlife is amusing, and I've been a hunter for over 30 some-odd years -Rod-

Yep, don't harass them, just blow 'em to bits with a 12 gauge.:Q

Sorry, I couldn't pass this irony up.
BTW, I'm not a hunter.

[Bill G]

dual post mistake

[aircruiser]

I must say, one of my more enjoyable flights was while out with my slow stick, some crows decided to check the plane out. We cirlced around together for a while. They got bored and left. It was both an anxious moment, because I was still very new at flying, and relaxing to see myself joining some masters of the sky.


ditto, thats the only time I have encountered other birds flying. Most of the time its a pack of sparrows that just are curious. Usually its with my cub or commander 2 that they follow. The best time relating to this was when I was flying my cub. Two birds came up behind my cub so I took it to half throttle and they pretty much flew over every inch of the plane. It was like a dog making friends with another dog..it was pretty cool.

Now if I knew these birds hated the plane in their territory I wouldve sped off but the birds I fly with are harmless so its fun to fly with them..

[mpotter187]

ditto, thats the only time I have encountered other birds flying. Most of the time its a pack of sparrows that just are curious. Usually its with my cub or commander 2 that they follow. The best time relating to this was when I was flying my cub. Two birds came up behind my cub so I took it to half throttle and they pretty much flew over every inch of the plane. It was like a dog making friends with another dog..it was pretty cool.

Now if I knew these birds hated the plane in their territory I wouldve sped off but the birds I fly with are harmless so its fun to fly with them..

I had the same thing today, I had at least a dozen birds following my Slow Stick around, some getting very close to the plane. None of them got aggressive and attacked it they just were flying with it. Also there was a large hawk circling riding a thermal about about 75 feet above me as well. Thankfully he didn't mind me sharing his lift, tough I kept my distance just to be safe. Come to think of it maybe the birds were staying close to the plane for protection from the hawk?

[bpmhal]

I don't see how harrassing wildlife is amusing, and I've been a hunter for over 30 some-odd years - 6 Deer, 2 Elk, 14 Coyotes, hundreds of Prairie Dogs plus Cottontails, Jack Rabbits, Doves, Quail and Rattlers have all been my prey. But there's also always been respect for the animals. Some people get off on watching P. dawgs cartwheeling after a good 300 yard shot. There's videos everywhere on just that subject but no respect at all.

It's their sky and the only thing we have to lose here is a plane. They need the sky to live. We don't need the planes. We could at least leave them to do their thing and fly elsewhere, without harrassing them. Shrug. -Rod-


Agree 110%! The buzzards seem to be more curious as to what is in the air to me. Keep in mind that we fly within a small area compared to their territory. They are always on the hunt for the next available Roadkill Meal and when they see/hear something that seems to be circling a given area, they will naturally see what it is all about. I personally have never had any problems with them, and I will add, that I don't try and fly with them either. They check out the Stryker and move on. I have a friend who is a Game Warden for our area. I asked him what the penalties for a individual who, if he saw that person intentionally harrass/wound/kill any bird with an RC aircraft and this was his response:
1. Arrest that person
2. Fines as high as $1500 dollars per bird
3. Confiscataion of all your RC equipment in your possesion at the time.
4. Confiscation of your vehicle possibly as well.

If indeed one of these days a bird destroys one of my planes because I can't get it on the deck safely quick enough, then chalk one up for the bird! All I have to do is go spend 20 bucks on a new Stryker fuse, a little time and fly on.
Frank
AMA # 873882

[aircruiser]

I had the same thing today, I had at least a dozen birds following my Slow Stick around, some getting very close to the plane. None of them got aggressive and attacked it they just were flying with it. Also there was a large hawk circling riding a thermal about about 75 feet above me as well. Thankfully he didn't mind me sharing his lift, tough I kept my distance just to be safe. Come to think of it maybe the birds were staying close to the plane for protection from the hawk?

haha..probably protection..dont want to mess with those big bad slowsticks ;-)

[Ohiopete]

With this talk of turkey vulture and hawks flying around our planes I figured I would post up this picture I took on my first day of trying aerial photography. I had my Magpie AP plane up and caught a thermal that came across the field. There were 4-5 turkey vulture circling in it as well. I kept trying to turn inside of them on their wide turns to get a shot.

Pete

[aircruiser]

thats pretty cool there pete!

makes me want a spektrum really bad now!

id love to take pictures in the air but dont really want to give up my drop module for taking pictures!!

[USAPatriot]

Harrassing wildlife??? We are not the ones blowing them away.
Where is the respect in that?? They are also a living thing!!
Blimey!!

Enuff said!!

I respect wildlife enough to see the need to control their populations. With finite resources and dwindling open spaces, we see animal populations, especially big game, going through periods of starvation due to lack of food. Starvation in deer is a months-long process in bitter cold winters. What you call "blowing them away", we call humane wildlife management. Smaller animals, prairie dogs as a for instance, will turn the landscape into a moonscape, and they carry diseases along with them. That too has to be controlled. Some States solutions to plague is to simply poison the animals by the thousands, whether they are infected or not. Such policies serve neither the animal nor the hunter. So yes...I do respect them, even while I shoot them down. I will not however harrass them if I'm in their space. Live with it. -Rod-

[USAPatriot]

1. Arrest that person
2. Fines as high as $1500 dollars per bird
3. Confiscataion of all your RC equipment in your possesion at the time.
4. Confiscation of your vehicle possibly as well.

If indeed one of these days a bird destroys one of my planes because I can't get it on the deck safely quick enough, then chalk one up for the bird! All I have to do is go spend 20 bucks on a new Stryker fuse, a little time and fly on.
Frank
AMA # 873882

I'm not surprised. Don't get me wrong. If a bird gets my plane I'm going to be P*SSED. But it's just a hobby and I can get another. The birds get food where they can find it and when there's a plane buzzing overhead, that bit of space probably isn't producing many opportunities for him. He lives or dies in that patch of air. We shouldn't be pushing him towards the latter if there's other places we can be. -Rod-

[Biplane Murphy]

I love animals..........They are so tasty!!!!!!! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


Murph...........

Here's my anti bird device.........

[USAPatriot]

I love animals..........They are so tasty!!!!!!! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


Murph...........

Here's my anti bird device.........

Ah...a fellow member of People Eating Tasty Animals :D -Rod-

[Biplane Murphy]

Nice one Rod........

Murph........

[USAPatriot]

Nice one Rod........

Murph........

That center pic cracks me up every time I see it, Murph. I swear he's laughing :D -Rod-

[Biplane Murphy]

with a face like that you'ld never know he's a "Bird Assasin"....hehehe

Murph.....

[phupper]

Here's a dumb question. If your plane looked more like, say, a bald eagle, do you think "lesser" birds would mess with it?:roll: Maybe your plane looks like an "easy kill" (no offense).

[Biplane Murphy]

:)I bet if you could have a switch on the transmitter trigger an eagle/hawk "battle cry", you could scare the Lesser birds into submission!!:)

Murph...........

[phupper]

Seriously. I saw a show about a guy who invented a remote controlled peregrine falcon for the purpose of clearing unwanted seagull populations from harbors, ports, marinas, etc. Worked like a charm. No it didn't fly, it just sat on a post and moved some, but it did have an audio recording of it's screech.

So go ahead, remove the landing gear and throw on a set of talons!

[metaglypto]

I am jumping in here late, but it seems to me that if a bird is diving on your plane, you would be doing yourself and the bird a favor to chase it off.

A bird could easily injure itself on a prop spinning at 8000+ rpm's. And the reasons a bird dives on your plane may not always be the same. Potential food, rival, curiosity-seeing how the other "bird" will respond. Who knows, maybe it has romance on its mind. I'd like to see pictures of that one!

[losifanatic]

well I had a bunch of seagulls come up while I was flying. I tried to get out of the way but I reacted to late. Down went the mentor. The bird broke my wing and the dang seagull flew off. Once my plane hit it became packing peanuts

I had loads of fun glidind with 2 eagles. I was able to fly right next to the with my eflite p-47 for about 2 full mins[had to come down b/c of the battery] and they didnt seem to care. It was sweet.

[efinkg]

I crashed a plane because of a hawk today. I was flying my Miss 2, in a calm relaxed manner, and a hawk came into my peripheral vision: Engaging tactics ON- WOT and high rates, pulled around to engage and... the wings folded. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee lawn dart. Total damage: broken prop, needs new rubber bands, needs one joint re glued.