During the take-off a seagull probably flew into the engine of a Condor Airbus A321.
The aircraft, registration D-AIAD, took off last Thursday evening at 6:20 PM local time in a northerly direction from Madeira, a Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean known for its challenging landings, towards Leipzig, Germany. However, during take-off the A321 probably collided with a seagull. A camera captured the departure and recorded how some flames appeared from the right engine during the rotation.
Major and minor damage
The impact of a bird strike, also known as a birdstrike, depends on the size of a bird. In many cases, damage to smaller birds is limited, but even then it may be decided to return to the (nearest) airport. In the case of large birds, the damage can be significant. There is a possibility that the blades of the motor may be damaged. As a result, they can function less optimally. In the most severe scenario, an engine’s power even drops. A return is then inevitable.
Fly to Leipzig
None of these cases occurred on the A321 this week. The machine took off and flew ‘normally’ to its destination in just over four hours. However, since the plane arrived in Germany on Thursday, it has been grounded. It is unknown what the reason is and it is also not clear when the machine will make its return to the airspace.
