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The story is now legendary; bird strikes caused both engines on a US Airways flight to fail, sending it to a watery landing in the Hudson River. Everyone survived, but such an event could happen again. So how can it be prevented? In this Wide Angle on Bird Strike Technology, we'll take a look at the topics from a bunch of different angles. And don't miss the Discovery special, "Hudson Plane Crash: What Really Happened?" airing Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.



News: Radar Could Lower Bird-Aircraft Collisions
Experts from DeTect, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force say that bird detecting radar technology available today could prevent, or at least lower the chances, of a bird strike that could down an airline.


Slide Show: How to Prevent Bird Strikes
Airfields and airports use a variety of techniques and technology to minimize the chances of airplanes colliding with birds. Here are few of those methods and how they work.


Puzzle: Take Off!
Most bird strikes happen at airports, where hundreds of flights are taking off and landing each day. Check out these picturesque puzzles, which feature big international airports and planes doing what planes do best.


Top 10: Animal Vs. Aircraft Stories
Take a look at the top 10 bird strike stories throughout the history of aviation, from near misses to direct hits, and the aftermath that followed.


Video: Flight 1549 Bird Strike Lab Visit
Aircraft bird strikes are on the rise; two Canada geese brought down Flight 1549 into the Hudson recently. And the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab - BSI for short - is on the case. Kasey-Dee Gardner investigates the three ways the lab IDs thousands of feathers, and why they're so important to improving airport safety.


My Take: Aircraft Lights Could Reduce Bird Hits
Bradley Blackwell of Wildlife Services explains that one effective avoidance technique may not come from the ground, but from the air. If airplanes were lit differently, birds might be able to see them better and avoid them.


 
 
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