Chennai: With rainy days just ahead, the number of birds lurking around the airport for prey is bound to increase. Pilots have already reported to air traffic controllers in the last two months about as many as 10 bird-hit cases. To overcome this problem, the authorities have now decided to commence a study and take precautionary measures.
“We are in the final stage of appointing an agency, which will study the various aspects for eradication of the hazard of birds over Chennai airport. This will include new technologies of sound and waves of special nature for scaring away the birds. At present, crackers and apron jeeps are used for this purpose,” said Chennai airport assistant general manager (PR) Harbhajan Singh.
According to him, the proposed agency would also study the behaviour of big birds that are generally attracted to open areas like the runways and so on. “We will take effective remedial action with an aim to get 100 percent results,” Mr Singh added. It is natural for insects to come out after rain thereby attracting birds, which are potential threat when found in the path of the aircraft.
“Birds like kites are seen in Chennai and they are getting smart these days. They can sense aircraft movement. The rare ones are the white owls, which are a threat nowadays in airports. They are migratory birds and their manoeuvring capability is not good compared to the kites. So they become a threat to flight safety,” said a senior pilot, who frequently flies in and out of the city airport.
Currently, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deploys bird scarers at vantage points inside the operational area from dawn to dusk and chases away the birds by bursting crackers. Airport director H. S. Suresh said that an area of about 10 km in radius around the airport needs to be free from garbage and other things that attract birds. “Only then can we control the bird menace,” he added.
