Bird conflicts lessening with habitat improvements
June 14, 2011, 03:51 pm
While bird strikes have been responsible for a number of aviation-related accidents, airport managers in Santa Barbara, California, have found a way to help lower pilots life insurance claims directly related to accidents involving their winged counterparts, according to AVweb.com.
After creating a 10-acre wetland area to restore tidal flows, thereby improving bird habitats, the number of bird-aircraft conflicts has been significantly reduced. The new habitat is attracting small birds, which mostly fly lower to the ground and tend to not head inland across the runway, the media outlet reports.
Before the construction, there were seasonal standing ponds which attracted Canadian geese and mallards. These birds are migratory and often flew across the runways, putting aircraft operators and passengers in danger. The airport claims that there has been a direct reduction in wildlife strikes, which enhances safety and environmental preservation.
However, experts agree that this is not the proper fix for all airports.
"It's a good project for Santa Barbara," Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told Miller-McCune.com. "A similar project at another coastal airport could have the exact opposite effect."
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