🛩️ Cayman Airways plane experiences unnoticed bird strike

A Cayman Airways Twin Otter aircraft experienced a bird strike after takeoff from Little Cayman on its way to Cayman Brac. The incident was only discovered after the plane had landed safely at its destination. The twin-engine, turbo-prop planes, part of CAL’s Express fleet, are used for flights to the smallest island due to their ability to handle the short runway at the Edward Bodden Airfield. 🛫

The airfield's proximity to Booby Bird Pond, known for its large population of red-footed booby birds, has been cited as a reason to build a new airport on the island. A fully-certified airport would also allow Cayman Airways to fly a small jet between all three islands. The most common type of bird strike is ingestion, which occurs when a bird is sucked into a jet engine, causing damage and potential engine failure. 🐦

The bird strike was discovered during a pre-flight safety check of the aircraft while on the ground awaiting its next flight. The aircraft has been taken out of service temporarily, awaiting the arrival of a maintenance team from Grand Cayman. As a result, passengers travelling to and from the Sister Islands should expect some delays. ✈️