Birdman!

This is coolbert:

BASH update. Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard. Israel style.

From YNet from only two days ago we have the actual video of an Israeli Air Force [IAF] colliding with a flock of pelicans, the F-15 nearly "shot down", the pilot deft and able bringing the incident to a safe conclusion, a landing without loss of life or aircraft. [one F-15 costs $50 million and the training of a combat aircrew takes three years minimum!]

"Watch: IAF jet hits flock of pelicans"

"Video documenting dramatic moments when F-15 suffered bird-strike shows how crew kept cool despite unexpected incident"

"video documenting the emergency landing of an F-15 jet following a bird-strike shows the crew's resourcefulness in handling the crisis and captures the drama which could have ended in disaster."

The IAF facing a BASH situation second to none? Birds migrating south to north [spring] or north to south [fall] using the Syrian-African flyway, billions of birds, LARGE BIRDS APLENTY POSING A SERIOUS THREAT TO IAF WARPLANES!

"Over the last 25 years, Israel’s Air Force has suffered more than 3,000 air collisions with birds, averaging 258 a year, and lost eight aircraft and three pilots. The financial cost to the military has exceeded tens of millions of dollars. 'The Air Force has lost more planes to bird strikes than to enemy action,' says Leshem."

Yossi Leshem - - the Birdman of Israel. Yossi an ornithologist of the highest repute, responsible for developing plans and strategies that minimize BASH threat an ameliorate the situation markedly!

"MEET THE BIRDMAN"

NOT only the number of birds, but the size and type of bird as found migrating, using the thermals of those lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean for lift. Large birds such as storks, cranes, pelicans eagles, vultures, etc.  Birds of such a size as to pose a very serious threat to an aircraft, the collision potentially "downing" even an advanced warplane such as with the IAF F-15.

Israel perhaps the number one [#1] nation in the world most acutely aware of BASH and taking remedial measures THAT WORK!!

Israel as in many cases a leader in research and development across the scientific spectrum. A nation of six million that looms large in many regards!

[in the book: "The Source" by James Michener, Crusaders living in the Holy Land and witnessing the northward migration  of storks to their native Germany saw the cross-shaped form of the stork as an omen boding NOT GOOD!]

coolbert.