Bird-strike: what happens on board the plane
In 2021, there were 15,400 ones in the US
Bird strikes are very common aircraft incidents in general and commercial aviation. For this reason, pilots are trained to respond promptly to all possible emergency conditions caused by a collision between an aircraft and a bird, both in flight and during take-off at the airport. The maneuvers required in fact depend on the type of impact and the seriousness of the damage caused.
Most bird-strike events don't turn into an emergency. In 2021, there were 15,400 in the United States. However, only occasionally do these cause a serious problem for the aircraft: in the event of engine, radome or hydraulic line failure. In these circumstances the pilots of many airlines execute a predefined list of commands depending on the specific event.
First, whoever is at the controls must decide whether to continue flying or to land. However, there is not always the certainty of having hit a bird. For this reason the pilots begin to carefully monitor the hydraulic, electrical, pneumatic and flight systems, to confirm the Bird-strike. In case of an abnormal indication confirming the impact, then go ahead with the emergency procedures.
AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency