May 17, 2017

sasadmin

The cost of repair of aircraft following bird strike with a damage is significant.

The bird and other wildlife strikes cause more than $650 million in damage to U.S. civil and military aviation annually.

In addition, bird strikes put the lives of crewmembers and passengers at risk — more than 200 people have been killed worldwide as a result of wildlife strikes since 1988.

Fans and compressors of turbine engines suffer damage because of their high rotational speed even at low aircraft speeds. Damaged blades cause power loss and generate out of balance forces, which may cause engine shutdown.

Could we avoid Airplane bird strike?

– unfortunately not 100%, but Bird strike hazard reduction is achievable.

Air traffic is fast growing, utilising of greater numbers of quieter aircraft, together with an increase of bird populations, require greater effort to control and monitor birds movements on the vicinity of airports.

Is the problem manageable?

– The primary defence against hazardous bird strikes are included in the airworthiness requirements of the Aircraft Type and Aircraft Engine Type Certification processes.

– Habitat management

1. Why birds are attracted from airports

    •  Habitat features, including open areas of grass and water as well as shrubs and trees, provide food and roosting sites for birds
    • Landfill and other waste disposal sites near airports
    •  Agricultural activity, on or in the vicinity of an airport
    •  Migrating birds often follow well-defined flight paths
    •  Airports in coastal locations
    •  The most hazardous strike encounters – those with large flock of birds. On the basis for managing bird strike hazard at and around airports, this situation should be considered.
    •  Monitoring Airport surrounding areas – garbage disposal dumps or any such other source attracting bird activity on, or in the vicinity of, an aerodrome

– Bird control

– Bird dispersal

– OPS Procedures

Do we have applicable regulations, recommendation or best practises?

ICAO Airport Services Manual Fourth Edition — 2012 Doc 9137 AN/898 Part 3 Part 3 Wildlife Control and Reduction;

– EASA COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 139/2014, ADR.OPS.B.020 Wildlife strike hazard reduction;

International Bird Strike Committee Recommended Practices No. 1 Standards For Aerodrome Bird/Wildlife Control.

Airport Bird Management role

Bird strike management should be an integral part of the aerodrome operator’s safety management system (SMS) and its safety management culture.

The presence of Birds and the risk of a Birds strike on the aerodromes can be reduced by effective use of risk assessment, Bird habitat management, Bird control and safeguarding.

How much would it cost?
It is essential to identify and adopt the most appropriate measures that suit local conditions.

Bird strike risk is not the same across all types of aerodromes and flight operations as well as type of necessary measures may vary.

The objective is to have in place effective management policy and actions to reduce the bird strike risk to the lowest practicable level.

Sofema Aviation Services is pleased to offer courses on the subject for Airport Birds and Wildlife Management and Operational personnel.

For details, please see here or email: office@sassofia.com