Industry has been grappling with the issue of dealing with birds hitting aircraft
The Mihan India Limited (MIL) that operates and maintains the Nagpur airport plans to conduct a year-long ecological study on bird hazards in the 15-km-radius of Nagpur Airport, in order to study the community composition of birds in different seasons, along with habitat relation of avian communities.
The aviation industry has been grappling with the challenging task of dealing with birds hitting aircrafts. At times, this leads to engine failure or emergency landings, which can be a cause for a potential threat to the lives of passengers and crew on board.
The MIL in a bid document floated, stated that it is conducting an ecological study in the vicinity of Nagpur Airport airfield to study community composition in different seasons and further training the operations and wildlife management personnel to identity bird species and apply correct management techniques for each species.
The bid document states: "A survey of the complete station and its surrounding must be carried out in each season. However, it would be desirable that the survey be carried out at an interval of 30-40 days between the surveys to obtain better sampling and complete bird activity pattern throughout the year."
Post this, an effective bird control programme, which will include bird control measure methods and equipment, will be undertaken. A MIL official said: "This study is just as per the guidelines provided by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The approximate cost of the study is estimated at Rs 11 lakh for the year-long study."
More than 4,000 aircraft have experienced wildlife strikes, which also include bird strike in the past five years. The busiest airports — Mumbai and Delhi — have also witnessed maximum number of bird hits in the same period.
Meanwhile, the bidding dates for privatisation of Nagpur Airport has been extended up to September 14, 2018, for which several companies are in the race. The privatisation includes investment of around Rs 1,982 crore for construction of new airports, two parallel runways, new cargo and terminal buildings in around two stages.
SAFETY FIRST
- Study aims to find the community composition of birds in different seasons, along with habitat relation of avian communities.
- More than 4,000 aircraft have experienced wildlife strikes, which also include bird strike in the past five years.
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