How to prevent birdstrikes?

[Flying_Dutchman]

Tulips Protect Amsterdam Airport

Fields of tulips and daffodils being planted around Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport will not only add more color in the spring but also make it safer for planes to land, the airport said on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Schiphol -- one of Europe's busiest airports -- said the vibrant blooms were a deterrent to birds damaging planes after being sucked into jet engines during landing or take off.

He said the mice and other rodents that some birds hunt were repulsed by the scent of tulip and daffodil bulbs and that without their prey, the winged predators would have little reason to frequent the area around the airport.

"It's a known fact that this works and it is certainly a more friendly way of getting rid of the birds than some other airports have employed," the spokesman said.

The airport reports approximately three bird strikes for every 10,000 landings and take-offs.

(source: www.airwise.com)
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This sounds great if they plant tulips around the airport! Besides the flat landscape another typical dutch welcome. But I hopes this will work. I don't know how other airports dealing with birds as mentioned in the text, but this is a natural way and safety for the birds.

[earthman]

The other day I saw on discovery a bit about bird strikes. It turns out that the most danger comes from flocking birds; big chance of suffering multiple simulatneous birdstrikes. Birds of prey are solitary birds, not posing that big a danger to aircraft. These bulbs will thus not reduce the danger of birdstrikes by that much; flocking birds couldn't care less about mice.

I suspect this has more to do with tulip farmers convincing someone to buy more of their bulbs.

In the same Discovery program they also showed a new turbine blade design from Rolls-Royce. It is supposed to withstand birdstrikes. They used a bunch of big airguns to shoot six (already dead) chickens *at once* into an engine with these blades, running at full power, and the power loss was only 3%. (They shot the chickens to simulate the speed of an aircraft at takeoff.) Would such engines, along with some other reinforcement (nose wheel, anyone?), not make the whole bird thing less of an issue?

[SN30952]

The other day I saw on discovery a bit about bird strikes. It turns out that the most danger comes from flocking birds; big chance of suffering multiple simulatneous birdstrikes. Birds of prey are solitary birds, not posing that big a danger to aircraft. These bulbs will thus not reduce the danger of birdstrikes by that much; flocking birds couldn't care less about mice.

In an other post I refered to an instruction of the Indian Civil Aviation, saying that avoiding waste dumps near airports would avoid to attract these flocking birds. Of course flocking birds attract also birds of prey.

Waste dumps and aviation are two consequences of civilisation. Sometimes the dumps were there before the airport...

A common mistake, I remember, in Africa, was to place that dump, so-to-say out of sight.... eg. somewhere at the end of a runway. And notice how many airfileds where built, near the seashore, some on the centuries-old bird-migration routes.

Mice, rats, rabbits are also a hazard to aviation, particularly under... runways. Their corridors consist of a system that under heavy rains can provoke the washing out of fundations and the caving in of run- and taxi-ways. Aviation and fauna do not co-exist well together, alas.

[Advisor]

Yesterday an eagle crashed against the Jet Airways aircraft while it was accelerating on the runaway and was about to take off from Indore to Mumbai in India. This incident occurred at 7.55 am. IST. After the ATC gave the signal for take off & after the plane started gaining speed on the runway, an eagle dashed against the engine. The plane shook for a moment and the pilot slowed down and brought it to a halt.

The dead eagle, weighing about 2.5 kg, was wrapped in a plastic bag and the aircraft had to be grounded.

I agree with fons that yes around our airports there have been dumps, but more aptly i share that more than the dumps it is the human encroachment that is present on our airport land. Last year we had a stray dog on our main runway!

And just yesterday we had the antenna being stolen from our airports main tarmac to help guide aircrafts land. IMAGINE.

[SN30952]

The dead eagle, weighing about 2.5 kg, was wrapped in a plastic bag and the aircraft had to be grounded.

If I remember well, from the Sabena time in Bombay, Advisor, that is still procedure. The dead bird(s) have to be wrapped and brought to an institute, for analysis.
The Civil Aviation instruction strangely does not say anything about the aircraft.
PS. Advisor do I understand you are based at former Bombay, now Mumbai Airport?

That airport is now called "Chhatrapati Shivaji Int'l Airport"? And was it 'Sahar International Airport'?
And before 'Santa Cruz airport' (in my time)?
Blindfolded landing in Bombay, one could recognise that airport by its particular smell, oh boy.
There were indeed some airports one could recognise blindfolded (with your fingers in your ears). But fortunately that was ages ago.

Ever experienced the old Istanbul airport? Or Kano and Lagos? (And I'm not talking lavatories, only!)

[Advisor]

Hahahahhahahah Fons, nothing has changed here just the names. I wonder all over the world there is a buzz is that how to accomodate the 380, here in BOM we are not even thinking about it, leave alone talking about it. Our radars are stolen in broad daylight, No immigration forms in stock when two aircrafts arrive together, If u visit the loo - ud puke instead of taking a leak, Landing into BOM is easy, navigating ur way to ur hotel/final place in Bombay now Mumbai, traffic is a herculean task. Touts help you and there are more mischief mongers and touts than the official people working in the airport. The dress code is pathetic and yes not to mention a plethora of agencies with no cross co-ordination amongst each other.

We have a joke amongst us. If you fall asleep during the flight do not worry. The minute the aircraft lands at BOM airport and the doors are opened, the stench/smell will welcome you home!

The official website is http://www.airportsindia.org.in/aai/mumbai/index.htm

Yes the new name for our airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport with
Terminals 2A/2B/2C handing international departures and arrivals and are situated at a suburb called Sahar, hence more commonly called as Sahar International Airport.
Terminals 1A/1B handling
domestic departures and arrivals and are situated in a suburb called Santacruz, hence the name, Santacruz Airport.

But, but both are on the same side of the city geographically and are interconnected. Two runways, criss cross

And imagine we are still around! Actually if you personally ask me i must share this with you

GOD loves INDIA. I have come up with three of my most favourite and jestful observations of this country and its aviation sector.

Every second person you meet in INDIA is a doctor. Just tell a person, ur feeling sick and he starts asking you the symptoms and suggests close to a million home remedies.

Any time is tea time in INDIA. Most of the time u will find people loitering amongst themselves rather than doing their jobs.

& yes just imagine, this is a country where no one is willing to work and still a country is running.

[SN30952]

Hahahahhahahah Fons, nothing has changed here just the names.

So I could come back, and find my way immediately? Maybe the phone didn't change? 8)

& yes just imagine, this is a country where no one is willing to work and still a country is running.

Hahahahhahaha Advisor, In Belgium they have a region with all the same symptoms. 8)

[Advisor]

Sorry i could not reply earlier, Fons.

Yes, yes the phones have changed all over the country. For example if you had a number which was 123 4567 earlier it has been replaced by an additional digit. It has now become 2123 4567 (A total of 8 digits now).

This has happened all over the country. You have to add 2 in front of all the numbers you have from INDIA.

The std codes remain the same. For example:
Bombay now Mumbai is still 022
So in case u wish to call then you have to dial 022 2123 4567.

And if you could come back, i would gladly welcome you at the airport.

[SN30952]

And if you could come back, i would gladly welcome you at the airport.

It might happen, one day, who knows? Thanks for the intention, Advisor.

[Advisor]

:rock: Swagatam, Su Swagatam! :rock:

Hindi for Welcome, most welcome.