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**moosetags** · 05-02-2011, 06:06 AM

We are currently camped at the Top of Georgia Airstream Park in Helen, Georgia. A couple from New York arrived here with quite a dent in the front cap of their Airstream. A couple of days earlier, they were on the highway in Florida when they saw an egret in flight coming at them. They heard a thud and thought that they had hit the bird. When they stopped, they were shocked to see how much damage was done to the front cap of their Airstream.

Here is a photo of the damage. It looks more like a tree fell on it than it was hit by a bird the size of an egret. It goes to show that some things cannot be avoided.

Brian

xrvr · 05-02-2011, 06:34 AM

Does he regret the egret? I saw that dent and thought for sure it was from a limb. Talk to you later we will walk up from the back 40 later today. We are 3106 down in the dog area. jim

ASwifey · 05-02-2011, 07:59 AM

What a shame! For the Airstream and that unfortunate egret.

Foiled Again · 05-02-2011, 08:06 AM

HOLY CRAP!

Which is probably the last thing the egret did...

That isn't a dent that a vacuum sucker and a hair dryer are going to fix! I'd strongly recommend that someone take a close inspection of the top of the Airstream. You could have damaged A/C shroud, vent covers, etc.

And here's the scarey part - Swans are bigger, cranes are bigger, and Canadian geese usually fly in flocks!

Paula

Mike Steele · 05-02-2011, 08:10 AM

Thank God cows don't fly.

withidl · 05-02-2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Steele

Thank God cows don't fly.

Evolution may be working on that .......... probably not in our time though.

CanoeStream · 05-02-2011, 08:42 AM

Didn't I see a Mythbusters once where they tried to duplicate the FAA windshield test by launching a frozen chicken at a Beechcraft windshield -- the windshield lost. Looks to be not much better with an egret...

Moosetags could readily tell you that one of the largest (literally) driving hazards is a moose on the highway. The mass of the animal is right at windshield height. The occupants always lose when a ton of animal hits the windshield at 60 mph. (horses covered by the same sad principal...)

**Stefrobrts** · 05-02-2011, 10:15 AM

I think I'd want to keep the dent just so I could tell the story - yikes!

Mike Leary · 05-02-2011, 10:22 AM

Wowsers! That trumps the vulture that hit us last year.

Al - K4GLU · 05-02-2011, 12:17 PM

Bet they regret that they met the jet egret.

**Janet H** · 05-02-2011, 12:42 PM

That's a lot of damage. Condolences to both the egrets family and to the NY couples wallet - that's gonna hurt of a while

Ganglin · 05-02-2011, 01:22 PM

Of all the things you worry about when towing - then a 3 pound bird does that much damage....

clancy_boy · 05-02-2011, 01:28 PM

F=MA small M (mass) but high A (acceleration)

pmclemore · 05-02-2011, 01:37 PM

Mooses, since you're there - how did Helen and the park survive the tornadoes last week?

Pat

**moosetags** · 05-02-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

Mooses, since you're there - how did Helen and the park survive the tornadoes last week?

Pat

The park did great. It sustained no damage at all. The town of Helen also did very well. We didn't see any damage there. A tornado did touch down about half way between the Airstream Park and Helen. It snapped off big trees any a number of power poles.

When we arrived the power was still off at the park, and we used the generators. The highway was cleared pretty quickly, and the power came back on late Friday night.

Fortunately, all fared well here.

Brian

Aage · 05-02-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Didn't I see a Mythbusters once where they tried to duplicate the FAA windshield test by launching a frozen chicken at a Beechcraft windshield -- the windshield lost. Looks to be not much better with an egret...

A frozen chicken you say? Hmmmm... Perhaps to simulate Arctic Chickens for flights over the pole...?

DaveFL · 05-02-2011, 05:27 PM

Hunters say Florida deer are small, but a few years ago a student hit one and it messed up his pickup from front to back. Canadian cautionary roadside signs include score as moose vs. people killed for the season and numbers were alway greater for people.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 05-02-2011, 11:09 PM

Hi, hindsight I guess, but why doesn't Airstream have bows/frames on the seams of the end caps? Another five pounds per unit and maybe five more minutes to install while making the end caps.

Minnie's Mate · 05-03-2011, 06:42 AM

As Clancy Boy pointed out, if the tow vehicle/Airstream were traveling at, say, 55 MPH and the Egret was flying at 10 MPH and had a mass of three pounds, the force of the impact would be: F=(55 + 10)3 or 195 LBS!(I know there is a speed element in the final results, but you get the order of magnitude in the force that hit this trailer) That's a lot of force hitting thin aluminum panels.