NBCC reviews steps to prevent bird hits

Airlines in India have reported as many as 241 cases of bird strikes which affected their aircraft in this year till October.

The number of bird hits was 304 in 2008, 217 in 2007 and 167 in 2006, an official statement said here today.

According to it, Air India has reported 24 bird strikes till October this year, Jet Airways 49, Kingfisher Airlines 60, Indigo 27, Spice Jet 30, Go Air 7 and Paramount 1. International airlines reported 34 incidents and other aircraft 6, it said.

As a result of these hits, Spice Jet suffered losses worth Rs 5.57 crore, Indigo Rs 87 lakhs, Go Air Rs 45.6 lakhs and Jet Airways Rs 8.91 lakhs. Figures for Air India and Kingfisher Airlines were not available.

The rising number of cases of bird strikes and related issues were discussed at a meeting here yesterday of the National Bird Control Committee (NBCC), set up by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The meeting was chaired by Civil Aviation Secretary M M Nambiar.

The meeting reviewed the action taken by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the directions issued by the NBCC in its first meeting held on June 3 this year.

These include directions to State Governments for active participation of Chief Secretary/Commissioner or Head of the District in the Airfield Environment Management Committee (AEMC) meeitng of the airport along with local civic bodies and police.

The meeting noted that the problems of the abattoirs in Gazipur and Sadar Bazar areas had been resolved. A modern abattoir has become functional at Gazipur while the one at Sadar Bazar has been closed.

The concerned sections of the Aircraft Rules have been amended to allow for imposing of fine of Rs 100,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both for offence of leaving any animal, object or bird in the movement area of an aerodrome.

The DGCA is reviewing the equipment and methods used at various airports, both public and private, for bird strike prevention.

An online system of bird strike reporting by airline operators has been made mandatory and put on the DGCA website. Pilots have been instructed to follow correct bird strike reporting procedure.

The DGCA has identified Ahmedabad airport as a critical airport showing increasing number of bird hits and the AEMC has been directed to prepare an action plan for time bound control of bird activity and implement it.

Another special AEMC is being called in Delhi, Mumbai and Nagpur airports this year to resolve the issue of bird strike and animal hazards. The scope of NBCC has been widened to include animals also.

Guidelines have been issued to airport operators/airlines to carry out special drives before the monsoon season, the release added.

NNN