Birds - and wildlife in general -are a major problem at airports, and one that airport management could well do without. Birds which collide with moving aircraft are known as a 'bird strike'. These were once defined as 'acts of God' because the probability of a bird striking an aircraft was not that common - alas, figures for this were never recorded and therefore a realistic picture cannot be built up.
However, with more aircraft in the sky and an annual increase in the bird population, a deadly combination has been created which can affect any flight at any time anywhere in the world. Airports have a legal responsibility to protect all aircraft from potential disaster and a number have been sued as a result of neglect.
Several airports, including one in the U K, have been successfully sued as a result of their not comprehensively demonstrating an effective bird management programme. Consequently, there is a high element of pressure from safetv regulators, authorities and the courts for airports to do as much as is humanly possible to avoid the problem.
Both commercial carriers and armed forces around the world have faced the problem of birds of various sizes colliding with their aircraft and causing severe damage. Aircraft can be grounded for long periods as a result of such a strike. As many as go% of all bird strikes occur either on or surrounding the airfield, so there is plenty of room for improvement.
Solutions company based in the UK, has developed a wireless application which allows airport staff to record bird detection, dispersal and bird strikes, along with other modules such as runway inspection and lighting.
Once information is captured on a handheld PC or touch screen panel, it will be automatically updated onto a main database, so eradicating all paperwork. Information logs will even be recorded when there is nothing specific to report on - proving that the airport in question is striving for a safer environment - and building up a portfolio of evidence which can provide safety regulators with hard facts.
If a bird strike occurs, all information entered will be automatically downloaded to a CA 1282/FAA or any other occurrence form, and will be instantlye-mailed direct to the bird control co- ordinator/operations manager. The database will produce an array of reports, graphs and maps which can be used by airport managers to analyse, target and control bird problems.
These statistics and trends will show existing and potential problems on the airfield, and these i can be broken down into species type, weather, particular area, time of day, week/ monthly/yearly or yearly blocks. Graphs will highlight dispersal techniques, strike rates, detection levels and much more.