Chennai airport to hire agency to study spike in late night bird-hits

Chennai: The Airports Authority of India will hire a wildlife agency to study the spike in bird-hits at night in Chennai airport and suggest remedies.
"Pilots have been reporting bird-hits at night while approaching the airport. This is the first time we have heard about night-time bird-hits in Chennai. So, we have decided to conduct a study by engaging an ornithologist," said airport director E P Hareendranathan.
Chennai airport has identified an agency, Via Life Science, from a panel of ornithologists suggested by the National Bird Control Committee, which is under the Union ministry of civil aviation. The committee has instructed all airports where bird-hits have been reported to study the problem and take preventive measures.
"We have contacted the agency and they are ready to do a bird survey. They have also suggested some equipment that needs to be installed to prevent bird-hits. A final decision will be taken very soon after working out the project cost," said a senior AAI official.
The official said, majority of the bird-hits fell in the suspected category because they didn't have strong evidence to prove it.
05/12/11 V Ayyappan/Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: airports Dec 2011, Safety Dec 2011