Kolkata: After jackals and honeybees, it was birds that turned into a nuisance at the airport on Wednesday when a flock of crows and cranes descended on the secondary runway, halting operations. Four incoming and two departing flights were put on hold as airport officials scrambled bird chasers to clear the tarmac.
Birds are a major hazard to aircraft safety. Even a small bird getting sucked into a jet engine can lead to engine failure that can at times prove fatal. Kolkata airport is particularly vulnerable to bird hits as lack of garbage disposal and collection system in the adjoining municipalities attracts scavengers. Ironically, Wednesday's incident was triggered not by dumping of garbage but by a drive to keep the airport grounds clean. Grass cutting along the tarmac had let loose insects that had crawled over to the runway, inviting the birds to an afternoon feast.
Air traffic controllers at the tower first noticed the flock of birds to the north of the primary runway around 3.40pm. Alarmed at the sheer number of crows and cranes that were busy feeding on the runway, the controllers shut it down and radioed the four incoming flights-two IndiGo Airlines, an Air India and a Jet Airways-to hover over the city till the runway had been cleared. A departing JetLite flight was also asked to wait.
11/10/12 Times of India
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Birds are a major hazard to aircraft safety. Even a small bird getting sucked into a jet engine can lead to engine failure that can at times prove fatal. Kolkata airport is particularly vulnerable to bird hits as lack of garbage disposal and collection system in the adjoining municipalities attracts scavengers. Ironically, Wednesday's incident was triggered not by dumping of garbage but by a drive to keep the airport grounds clean. Grass cutting along the tarmac had let loose insects that had crawled over to the runway, inviting the birds to an afternoon feast.
Air traffic controllers at the tower first noticed the flock of birds to the north of the primary runway around 3.40pm. Alarmed at the sheer number of crows and cranes that were busy feeding on the runway, the controllers shut it down and radioed the four incoming flights-two IndiGo Airlines, an Air India and a Jet Airways-to hover over the city till the runway had been cleared. A departing JetLite flight was also asked to wait.
11/10/12 Times of India
