Media were considering blaming the incident on the Bush administration until it became apparent that as a result of pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger's heroic efforts, as well as those of his flight crew, there were no fatalities.
With nothing bad to pin on the current President, the good folks at Time magazine found another predictable culprit (h/t Tom Nelson):
Wildlife mitigation is the official term for avoiding accidents like these, and according to the government's latest report on the topic, it's becoming an increasing concern. The report, which was released in June by the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation and Fish and Wildlife Service, found that since 1990, the number of bird strikes has quadrupled, from 1,759 in 1990 to a record 7,666 in 2007. Officials cite a number of possible causes for the increase:
• Most commercial airlines are now replacing older three- and four-engine planes with more-efficient double-engine aircraft. Because these newer engines are quieter, birds are less likely to detect and avoid them. Worse still, fewer engines mean fewer backups should a plane and a flock of birds cross paths.
• While officials use radar and radio collars to track bird populations, habitat destruction and climate change have disrupted migratory patterns.
Al Gore should be very proud of himself.
