For the aviation fans

[Long Wheel Base]

 

 

Actually the stork only takes the number 10 spot.

 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/highest-flying-birds.html

WOW interesting read.

I found this funny

This highest flying bird has been recorded to fly at an altitude of 11,300 meters (37,000 feet). They use their keen eyesight to scan the ground below from extreme heights and then once a meal is spotted, they swoop down to grab the prey.

 

That's a long swoop down.

[SwissVan]

WOW interesting read.

I found this funny

This highest flying bird has been recorded to fly at an altitude of 11,300 meters (37,000 feet). They use their keen eyesight to scan the ground below from extreme heights and then once a meal is spotted, they swoop down to grab the prey.

 

That's a long swoop down.

 

 

Thats very good eyesight...

[Bateleur1]

Thats very good eyesight...

 

I know one of the big eagles in South America/Amazon area can spot a coin at 2 miles (how they figured that out I don't know).  This eagle would hunt among others large apes in trees.  

 

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/jungle-eagle-harpy-eagle-fact-sheet/7263/

[geomark]

There are geese that migrate across the Himalayas and have hit 23 000ft

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-30845250/the-geese-that-can-conquer-mount-everest

[Robbie Stewart]

2 air tour operators had a midair collision in Alaska. From what I gathered, the 2 flights departed from separate cruise ships, with passengers of each on board, and somehow mysteriously came together midair, killing 4 on the one plane with another missing, and a passenger from the 2nd plane also missing, with 10 injuries on that plane ranging from critical to serious.

 

[edit] - planes involved were floatplanes, De Haviland DHC-3 Otter and DHC-2 Beaver

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/14/ntsb-to-investigate-in-alaska-after-deadly-midair-collision.html

Edited May 14, 2019 by Robbie Stewart

[eddy]

WOW interesting read.

I found this funny

This highest flying bird has been recorded to fly at an altitude of 11,300 meters (37,000 feet). They use their keen eyesight to scan the ground below from extreme heights and then once a meal is spotted, they swoop down to grab the prey.

 

That's a long swoop down.

 

I wonder what VNE is on a Ruppel's vulture..

[DJR]

I wonder what VNE is on a Ruppel's vulture..

We were climbing in the Southern Drakensberg last year and early one morning I could see some vultures circling very high above. We were at about 3000, and they were way too high above us to ID. Through the binoculars I could just make out that there were 2 different species. Our guide said they were Cape Vultures and Bearded Vultures. I've never seen the Bearded, so I asked if we would perhaps get a chance to see them from a bit closer. He said, he would call them in when we took our next break. I thought he was kidding......but at about 11h00 when we stopped for a rest, he made the 4 of us (team DJR) lie down stretched out flat in the grass. By then there was not a bird in sight, they had simply disappeared into the heavens. Again I thought he was just taking the piss out of us. In less than 5 minutes a massive Bearded Vulture materialized out of the sky and easily glided to within 25m from us on his 2m wingspan. THAT was when I understood what it felt like to be "the bait". What an experience. 

[SwissVan]

Quiz time

 

 

Screen Shot 2019-05-14 at 09.21.23.png

 

Model Aircraft operations answer

 

[SwissVan]

Capture.JPG

 

Wildlife strikes answer

 

 

[Long Wheel Base]

I wonder what VNE is on a Ruppel's vulture..

With such a large rough body shape I would think a lot less than that of something like a falcon. But their max ceiling has already surprised me so their VNE would probably do the same.

[Long Wheel Base]

Model Aircraft operations answer

 

Screen Shot 2019-05-14 at 09.24.14.png

Hmm interesting. I said A.

[Long Wheel Base]

Wildlife strikes answer

 

 

Screen Shot 2019-05-14 at 09.35.39.png

Got this one right at least.

[SwissVan]

Hmm interesting. I said A.

 me to 

[Long Wheel Base]

 me to 

At least there were a lot of guys thinking the same as us.

[DJR]

With such a large rough body shape I would think a lot less than that of something like a falcon. But their max ceiling has already surprised me so their VNE would probably do the same.

Only 3 minutes, but worth watching the master!

 

[Bonus]

We have so many birds of prey here that we hardly notice them. Last week on a road ride I saw a dozen vultures making short work of some road kill . . .