Can golf balls be airport obstacles?

November 12th, 2008 | by admin |
golf balls
SEUNGSANG C asked:


There lie obstacle limitation surfaces above airports.
I wonder if golf balls can be any obstacle to the surfaces for safe flights of aircraft when golf courses are bulit around an airport.

Treadwell
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  1. 5 Responses to “Can golf balls be airport obstacles?”

  2. By maiga on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    yes they sure can cause a blown tire therefore it’s a hazard

  3. By Slobbery on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    The only way a golf ball could cause a problem for an aircraft is by ingestion. If the golf ball say landed on a taxi way and is ingested it could cause serious damage to rotating components. I saw a video of an aluminum can being sucked into a turbine engine and the engine was damaged so bad they had to tranfer all passengers to another flight.

  4. By LionHeart on Nov 17, 2008 | Reply

    Of course not. Even though alot of golf courses are by airports, it just COULDN’T happen. Heres why.

    now one could hit a ball at a plane the same time it was taking off or landing. You would have to be either extremely unlucky or and Idiot to even try.

    However golf balls on the run-way might be a problem, but I doubt it. They check the run-way right before a plane takes-off and lands.

  5. By B R on Nov 17, 2008 | Reply

    Our golf course here at Keesler AFB is built around the active runway and taxiways. It is built in such a way that no one can hit a ball far enough to end up on the hard surfaces, so if it is built right golf balls will not present a FOD hazard to aircraft. Now if a golf ball ends up in an engine then YES it can cause significant damage.

  6. By Emily R on Nov 18, 2008 | Reply

    I instructed out of an airport with a golf course (several, actually) around it. Every once in a while, a jet engine would injest a ball or a smaller aircraft would run over one and blow a tire. I never saw an aircraft in the air hit by one, but I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.

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