British Airways Airbus A320
Police are investigating the British Airways pilot's claim that his aircraft was hit by an unmanned aircraft when approached Heathrow airport.
The Metropolitan Police said contact Sunday afternoon was set by the pilot who safely landed the aircraft at Terminal 5. No one has been arrested, officials said.
The flight, BA 727, came to London from Geneva, carrying 132 passengers and five crew. British Airways said the Airbus A320 was examined by engineers and cleared to take off your next flight after the incident.
Steve Landells, specialist flight safety at the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said: "Frankly, it was only a matter of time before we had a drone strike given the enormous number being flown around by fans who do not understand risks and standards. "There seems to be a serious damage was done this time, but what is clear is that while most drones are flown safely, sensibly and within the limits of the law is, it takes much more user education drone and compliance to ensure our skies remain safe from this threat. "
Earlier this month, the union of airline pilots called for an investigation into the possible effects of a drone strike on a aircraft after a report Airprox Council UK found that there were 23 about to collide drone and aircrafts in the six months between April and October last year.
Including one on September 22, when a Boeing 777 series that had just taken off reported that a manned aircraft not narrowly passed to the right of the aircraft. The researchers concluded that the unmanned aircraft was at the same height and a radius of 25 meters from the aircraft. A report was made to the police, but the operator drone was not tracked.
Days later, a drone was moved a few meters from Airbus A319 landing at Heathrow. The pilot told the Airprox Board UK, the drone may have been just 20 feet above and 25 yards on the left when he passed through the aircraft.
The jet was flying at an altitude of 500 feet and was on final approach, when it was discovered the drone. After that incident, Landells had discussed the possibility of engine failure in case of a drone surprising flatten. "You end up with very high bit rate of metals go anywhere you want. This could be through the fuel tanks through hydraulic lines and even in the cabin," he said.
"Losing the engine will not cause a aircraft to crash because they are designed to fly with one engine down. However, an engine failure will not be different each time. That could be very serious."
"The first thing we do is get a unmanned aircraft or at least the critical parts of a drone flying to a windshield of a aircraft. The indications so far with computer models are that you will end up with penetration a windshield. "One possibility is that the battery breaks the windshield and the inner layer of breaking the windshield and is finished with a lot of glass in the cabin, probably moving at very high speed. "As a driver, I do not want to be sitting there when what is happening."