Wildlife strike prevention: a mainstream safety issue

Resumo

Birds have always inspired aircraft designers, but they are also one of the threats jeopardizing the safety of aircraft, its crew and passengers. Is it not ironic? Since the Wright brothers’, aircraft have been colliding with birds and other animals, so-called wildlife strikes. At this moment, while you are reading this, wildlife strikes are occurring at many places around the world, both at airports and in the wider airport vicinity, and military aircraft are striking birds en-route when performing low level navigation.

The majority of wildlife strikes have no effect on the flight of the aircraft. However the struck animals are less fortunate. Occasionally wildlife strikes can put the safety of passengers, crews and population on the ground at stake. Costs are high when the operations are affected and when the aircraft are damaged.