Kip Powick Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 How much for that dead hedgehog on the runway? For the French government, a hedgehog cost it the equivalent of about $4 million. It all started in 1998, when the carcass of a hedgehog was lying at the end of a runway at Marseille. That attracted about 20 hungry seagulls. An Air France Airbus A320 roared past and the plane's right engine sucked in some of the birds, forcing an emergency stop and damaging the engine. A court has held the government was responsible for keeping runways clear and that its staff should have noticed "such a large group of birds" in the path of the jet. The court ordered the government to pay $4.2 million to Air France and the five insurance companies that paid out claims following the accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 06L06R Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 This is why people have to overshoot when we get a FOD report, the lawsuits that are thrown around are really quite stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hudson Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Re "How much for that dead hedgehog on the runway?" How much for that 2 foot piece of aluminum strapping from a DC10 reverser at CDG?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 06L06R Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Big Bucks! It was shortly after the Concorde that the rules for FOD changed. So many of the rules we have today are for insurance companies and lawyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hudson Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Yes I think I'd agree, but without getting into a long debate, "something changed". Liability is a poor substitute for ethical corporate decision-making but it clearly works. The irrelevant debate as to whether this in itself is "ethical" may occupy university classes forever. While some lawsuits may seem outlandish we must remember the root causes. The issue which triggers debate seems to surround personal due care by reasonable adults. A hot coffee in a lap which results in a multi-million dollar lawsuit because there was no label warning about hot drinks and being careful with them is vastly not in the same league. Anyway, just thought I'd pick up on the original comment about 'edg'og's causing $4 million worth of trouble. Poor furry things; the Father of all Marmotae just got over failing to predict an early spring, ... and now this. There oughta be a law... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deicer Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Anyway, just thought I'd pick up on the original comment about 'edg'og's causing $4 million worth of trouble. Poor furry things; the Father of all Marmotae just got over failing to predict an early spring, ... and now this. There oughta be a law... Don... With the lawyers already counting the sheckles over the deevorce dollars about to be coming their way from newly minted couples after the gov passes it's new laws,,,,,, Please, Please, Please leave our furry little rodent friends out of it! It's bad enough that we disturb their sleep every spring. Now you want them to lose more sleep over useless litigation? It would be cheaper if we got rid of the lawyers, and just hired a few good men to run through the fields at the airports, shooing away the poor defenseless rodents so that they could carry on in peace. As for the sh!thawks,,, A good Mossberg is only a couple hundred bucks Yours in humor Iceman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 It's difficult to judge the merits of this award without knowing the prevailing situation at Marseilles regarding wildlife control. If they have a reasonably effective wildlife control program (as any airport playing host to commercial airline ops should), then the occasional incident can be viewed as "Naughty Word" happens. If on the other hand, they don't have a program, and wildlife are a known factor at the airport, then there is merit in the decision. Now, what would you do in the case of an engine which is damaged when the falcon used for bird control becomes a victim itself?? It's happened! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 06L06R Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I wonder if the bird activity NOTAM that goes out at YYZ would take away the chance to sue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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