CHAPTER 9

Bird Hazard Reduction

9.1 Introduction

9.1.1 The appropriate authority shall take such action as necessary to decrease the number of birds constituting a hazard to aircraft operations by adopting measures for discouraging their presence on or in the vicinity of an airport. ECAR 139 .345

9.1.2 Guidance on the method to be adopted to assess the bird hazard, and the organization necessary to deal with it, together with the methods which can be employed, and procedures for reporting bird strikes are detailed in the. EAC 139-11

9.2 Organization

9.2.1 The correct assessment of the problem will indicate the scale of resources which required to be deployed to reduce the hazard. At the very lest , at a minor airports, this will entail an alertness to the hazard and an arrangement to convey information to the pilot. At the other extreme , at major airport , there will need to be a co-ordinated organization with clearly defined functions and comprehensive equipment.

9.2.2 Whatever the scale of organization adopted, a senior member of staff should be made responsible for the following functions as far as they are applicable:

(a) collection and recording information on bird concentrations and movement patterns;

(b) an appraisal of the bird strike rate and an assessment of the local risk;

(c) liaison between the airport operator and other parties;

(d) arranging for the services of a wildlife biologist;

(e) training of operators;

(f) coordinate the activities of personnel concerned;

(g) coordinate the supply of bird‑scaring materials identify and reduce sources of bird feeding locations;

(h) warning pilots, through air traffic control of the presence of bird concentrations;

(i) supervise bird strike reports in accordance with national procedures

(j) prepare standing instructions identify and reduce bird shelter locations;

(k) supervise the maintenance of a comprehensive bird control log.

9.3 Conclusion

9.3.1 The effort to be devoted to bird control will be related to the resources that can reasonably be provided at individual airports, and will take account of the extent to which a local hazard has been identified.

9.3.2 Bird dispersal arrangements must, however, cover all hours of operation of the airport, including night hours.

9.3.3 Where bird dispersal techniques are employed, it is essential to realize that persistence is necessary in many cases to achieve the degree of control required.