Just like any "accident" it has to do with many varibles. Small birds may be ingested on the ground or in flight and never be noticed, just like paper, trash, or small rocks. Big birds, or flocks of birds may get sucked in, and then it depends on engine RPM, altitude, density of bird mass, and of course where they travel thru the engine. Many high-bypass turbine engines have a large area on the outer circumfrence of the engine with only one set of fan turbine blades, then continue to an exhaust area. Birds may pass thru here easily with little or no damage. However, if they ingest near the center of an engine they may pass thru and into the compressor and combustor section of the engine and can do much damage. Damage that is only visible with what is called a "boroscope" which is a fiber optic video cable that is inserted into the engine to obtain visual inspections. (much like a doctors proctoscope, UGH!) The boroscope has capibility of then photographing and measuring damage and it can be evaluated by engine design engineers to see if the damage is allowable for continued service or must be repaired.
Pilots have instruments or monitor screens that indicate engine performance parameters in which they may see a different trend or abnormal indication to tell them there has been an unusual event of some kind with an engine. But, no worry, with todays modern jets, there are many redundant systems, and single engine performance operation is very reliable.
You may notice on a engine not running, a swirling or tornado style twisting paint line on the center engine bullet. This is supposed to warn, alert or scare birds away. I guess it may work? I'm not a dumb bird.
Acuually, in regard to severe engine ingestion damage, ice would be considered more dangerous than birds because it is much harder, and difficult to see and track after it has melted. Engines do have heated inlet ducts to help prevent this.
Although the answer was great, detail was still a little lacking with respect to exact happenings in the engine chambers. However, I understand this is also largely attributed to many factors. That's why I gave it 4 stars. Keep it up and many thanks again Buck!!
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What exactly happens to a turbofan engine in the event of a birdstrike?Titanium compressor blades... chopped bird.
first, visually inspect the turbine to see if it has any cracks. second, inspect all fan blades, making sure that they are all present, and that they are not cracked or broken. then check the inside of the turbine to see if there is any residues from the bird, try to find the feathers and see the colors and try to tell what kind of bird it was. if it was an endangered species, report it automatically to the authorities, so they can give you a fine. then if you find any mechanical problems, make a report immediately and notify the mechanic. if everything else is alright, then grab a water hose, and rinse the mess up. make sure that the engine is off and that you are not standing right in front of the turbine while is on, or else you may experience the same fate the bird hadWhat exactly happens to a turbofan engine in the event of a birdstrike?
Talk about diced chicken... The FAA mandates certain minimum requirements and this is one that has been looked at numerous times. Multiple bird strikes may cause the engine to "flame out," but its a rare occasion. Many airports near the water will have countermeasures in place to keep the runway and immediate vicinity clear of birds.
like they answered before the worst thing that could happen is getting whatever is left of the bird sucked in the engine. chances of the blade breaking or anything worse than that are slim. If the bird is sucked in then you will have serious problems. Single engine aircraft will have to probably cut off the engine and prepare for an emergency landing, since up in the air theres only so much you can do with partial or no engine power.
Be warned, never walk near the intake of a jet engine while it's running. You think a bird getting sucked in is bad? I've seen a 220lb man get sucked in.
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