B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Other / Unknown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
General Declared Emergency
Environment - Non Weather Related
A B737-700 departed Runway X at ZZZ airport. When Local tried to switch the aircraft to Departure Control the pilot made a comment to standby. Local then advised the Departure Controller he would hold on to the B737 for a minute. The B737 advised Local that he had a bird strike and would like to return to the airport. Reported the strike in the Number 1 Engine; with indications still normal but a loud vibration. As a CIC; and working Ground Control; I advised the newly certified Local Controller that if he was going to take the aircraft on the right downwind; to stop the B737 at 2;000; due to an C510 holding 7 SE of the airport at 3;000. Local did this and told the B737 to enter a right downwind. As additional information was obtained; I notified the Fire Department and Airport Ops; via the crash phone; and frequencies. When I checked the RADAR scope next; the B737 was now approximately 7 SE southbound at 2;000. I remembered the MVA in that area is 2;200; and advised Local to climb the B737 to 2;200. The aircraft finally entered a right base and landed without incident. While this situation was going on; there was an extreme amount of coordination for both the Local Controller and the Ground Controller. I feel that in the RADAR room; there should be a designated person who is doing all the coordination with the Tower; instead of different people calling at different points for different reasons. Also the Local Controller had not been tested or briefed on the MVA in the area before his certification; in the event of the emergency I feel we both did a good job of getting the proper assistance to the aircraft.
A B737-700 was cleared for takeoff Runway X. About 500 FT AGL; I switched the B737 to Departure. The B737 told me 'stand by'. I called the Departure Controller to advise him that the B737 was going to stay on my frequency for at the time an unknown reason. I asked the B737 if he needed any assistance and he replied he needed to return to the airport due to a bird strike on his number one engine; and a loud vibration. I asked the B737 if he wanted to contact Departure to return to the airport or if he would rather enter a downwind to land instead. He replied he would like the downwind with Tower. I then instructed the B737 to maintain 2;000 FT and proceed to downwind. The B737's downwind was extra wide although I was able to clearly see him from the Tower. Since he was on such an extended downwind I again asked him if he wanted to contact Departure. He replied no. I asked him if he still had the airport in sight and he requested a vector. I vectored him to a 5 mile final and he reported the airport in sight. He landed with no further events. Have air cannons on the field or some other bird mitigation devices instead of just a truck and a shotgun.
Tower Controller described a momentary loss of MVA separation when an air carrier departure experienced a bird strike; entered a wide downwind; and returned to the airport.