On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:16:15 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Jimw" wrote in message
.. .
Off Topic, but hardware related.

It's been all over the news about the plane that crashed into a river
in (I think) New York. They said it was caused by birds flying into
the engine. Then they showed a report of the number of bird caused
plane accidents and deaths each year. From 1990 to 2007 there were
almost 80,000 accidents caused by birds. There have been numerous
deaths and millions of dollars of damages.

OK, looking at the engines they showed on tv, I immediately thought
***Why dont they put some sort of screening over the engine***
It would only seem like a couple hundred dollars worth of hardware
cloth would solve the problem. Why dont they think of simple
solutions like this?

Jim

I have to imagine it has been thought of. I also have to imagine it has to
be a problem. Air flow over the screen at 600 mph can be a problem.
Resistance and the support needed for the screen would be too. Not to
mention that some stuff that is normally sucked through the engine could
block the screen and cause even bigger problems.

The airflow into the intake on a jet engine is significantly higher
than the airspeed of the plane - and when, not if, the metal screen
fractured and went through the jet it will do a LOT more damage than
the birds!!!