Pests

It’s mating season for birds, and many are out gathering the materials to build a home and settle down. Just as they may pose a hazard to aircraft in the air, their nests could do damage on the ramp. The nooks and crannies in your aircraft—in the cowling, exhaust, and behind control surfaces—are enticing shelter for cavity-nesting birds such as the European starling and the house sparrow, as Bill Knight explains in “Nesting Birds: Their brains are small but their will is strong.” Birds (and mice) can destroy an aircraft’s insulation and wiring; nests and droppings can cause corrosion.  Here

I've always been fascinated with birds.Amazed at their maneuverability, speed and gracefulness, they make human efoorts at flying pale by comparison. However, this is not where I wanted to find them. What a mess! It didn't take long for them to make this nest. So a good lesson reinforced, always take the cowling off to do the preflight.

I also found a wasp building a nest in the pilot's side air vent.  I thought this protected by the canopy cover but these pests always find a way in. Would not be good to open the vent and invite a swarm of wasps in the cockpit.

I ordered a new landing light. Mine failed to switch on last time, but while cleaning out the birds nest a found a broken connector.  I'll talk with Harry about it since I'm very close to my 50 hour inspection.