Narrative:

During takeoff on runway 15R at iah, a very large flock of white birds was observed on the runway. As the airplane rapidly accelerated toward the flock, I realized the birds were not dispersing. It appeared that the airplane was going to literally run over them. I was very concerned with the high possibility of ingesting birds into both engines thus, severely affecting the safety of the flight by continuing the takeoff. The rejected takeoff was initiated at approximately 120 KIAS. I believe the rejected takeoff allowed the flock time to disperse before engulfing the airplane. The airplane did sustain multiple bird strikes, but no damage was noted by maintenance. There were no reports of bird activity prior to our takeoff. All lights and the radar were on for takeoff. I concur with the flight manual rejected takeoff considerations. I have had bird strikes at high speed in the past and did not even consider rejecting. The situation was much more threatening due to the large number of birds on the runway that did not seem to disperse as the airplane accelerated toward them. I have accomplished many successful rejected takeoff's in the simulator during my training. I was confident that this rejected takeoff would not be different than in the simulator. In other words, I had a lot more confidence in the rejected takeoff than continuing the takeoff through the large flock of birds. The airplane was light and the runway was long and dry with a 5-10 KT headwind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 REJECTS TKOF WHEN A FLOCK OF BIRDS ON RWY 15R AT IAH FAIL TO DISPERSE.

Narrative: DURING TKOF ON RWY 15R AT IAH, A VERY LARGE FLOCK OF WHITE BIRDS WAS OBSERVED ON THE RWY. AS THE AIRPLANE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED TOWARD THE FLOCK, I REALIZED THE BIRDS WERE NOT DISPERSING. IT APPEARED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO LITERALLY RUN OVER THEM. I WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH THE HIGH POSSIBILITY OF INGESTING BIRDS INTO BOTH ENGS THUS, SEVERELY AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THE FLT BY CONTINUING THE TKOF. THE REJECTED TKOF WAS INITIATED AT APPROX 120 KIAS. I BELIEVE THE REJECTED TKOF ALLOWED THE FLOCK TIME TO DISPERSE BEFORE ENGULFING THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DID SUSTAIN MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKES, BUT NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED BY MAINT. THERE WERE NO RPTS OF BIRD ACTIVITY PRIOR TO OUR TKOF. ALL LIGHTS AND THE RADAR WERE ON FOR TKOF. I CONCUR WITH THE FLT MANUAL REJECTED TKOF CONSIDERATIONS. I HAVE HAD BIRD STRIKES AT HIGH SPD IN THE PAST AND DID NOT EVEN CONSIDER REJECTING. THE SIT WAS MUCH MORE THREATENING DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF BIRDS ON THE RWY THAT DID NOT SEEM TO DISPERSE AS THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED TOWARD THEM. I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MANY SUCCESSFUL RTO'S IN THE SIMULATOR DURING MY TRAINING. I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS RTO WOULD NOT BE DIFFERENT THAN IN THE SIMULATOR. IN OTHER WORDS, I HAD A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE RTO THAN CONTINUING THE TKOF THROUGH THE LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS LIGHT AND THE RWY WAS LONG AND DRY WITH A 5-10 KT HEADWIND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.