NO MORE PAPER:
Once the database is launched, the data could be used to conduct statistical analyses, which would inform preventive measures, the CAA said
-
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) yesterday said it is building a database to record bird strikes at airports nationwide, with airport and airline personnel to be given access to the data at the end of this year.
There were 101 bird strike incidents in Taiwan last year, up from 83 in 2021, CAA data showed.
Three of last year’s incidents caused damage to aircraft, the data showed.
Photo: Ting Yi, Taipei Times
The most serious incident was in October last year, when an engine of a Tigerair Taiwan aircraft was disabled while on its descent to Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) after a collision with two large bean geese, which are normally found in polar regions and are not often seen in Taiwan, the CAA said.
Most bird strikes in Taiwan are with nightingales, cattle egrets, crested mynas or pigeons, the agency said.
Last year, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport reported 22 bird strike incidents, Kaohsiung International Airport and Songshan airport reported 17 each and Taichung International Airport reported 14, the data showed.
Bird strikes are most frequent during ascent and descent, CAA airport management division director Huang Wu-chiang (黃武強) told a news conference in Taipei.
Airport personnel should drive away birds while inspecting runways and areas surrounding airports, Huang said.
“In the past, airport personnel had to fill out paper forms to report bird strikes and our staff manually compiled the statistics,” he said. “Once the database is launched, we can use the data to conduct statistical analyses, which would become the basis for implementing preventive measures for bird strikes.”
Having a responsive Web design, the database is compatible with mobile devices and enables users to obtain geographical information about incidents, he said.
The user interface was designed with a business intelligence concept, which allows people to create data visualizations, analyze data and report results to facilitate operational decisionmaking and strategic planning, Huang said.
Airport personnel can make database inquiries, including bird species commonly spotted at or near airports, reports of bird strike incidents, measures that have been implemented to prevent bird strikes and management of dovecotes near airports, he said.
Once the database is launched, accurate information about bird strikes can be instantly shared among airport personnel across Taiwan, he said.
The database, which has been in testing since June, would be open to use by airport personnel and the air force’s combat wings, Huang said, adding that airlines would be able to report bird strikes.
Air horns, pyrotechnics and nets are ways that airport personnel can keep birds away from airports, the CAA said, adding that it is important to keep bird habitats as far from airports as possible.
Comments will be moderated. Keep comments relevant to the article. Remarks containing abusive and obscene language, personal attacks of any kind or promotion will be removed and the user banned. Final decision will be at the discretion of the Taipei Times.
