AAI plans to hire consultants to tackle bird menace across all airports

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

Airport Authority of India is planning to hire consultants to tackle the bird hits in all Airport Authority of India operated airports as Chennai airport reported a bird hit again about 400 feet above.

Air India flight carrying 172 passengers, including crew, from Singapore to Chennai suffered a bird hit 400 feet above the ground damaging the nose of the aircraft.

An Airport Authority of India official told Express that the incident happened at 400 feet above and not in the airport premises.

“The nose of the aircraft or radome is damaged but the radar has not been affected,” an airport official told Express.

Radome or nose cone is found at the foremost point of an aircraft. The nose cone also houses radar and other instruments that might be used to detect meteorological phenomena or transmit communication signals.

Because they protect sensitive instruments while allowing electronic signals to pass through, nose cones – also known as radomes are made from specific materials like fiberglass, quartz, honeycomb and foam cores as well as various chemical resins.

Interestingly, the same aircraft, which was to fly again to Singapore, at 11.30am has now been grounded affecting the travel schedule of more than 150 passengers, who are likely to fly on Tuesday morning.

An Air India spokesman told Express that alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to Singapore.

“We are making arrangements for a possible new aircraft which is proposed to fly the passengers to Singapore,” said the spokesman.

Airport Director G Chandramouli said that the nose of the aircraft has been repaired. He also said that measures are being taken to control bird menace. “Airport Authority of India headquarters will soon be appointing consultants to tackle the bird hits in Airport Authority of India operated airports. It will take into account the 5km radius as well as 5,000 feet,” said Chandramouli.

The director said that the initiative is likely to be taken up along with the local bodies. The bird menace is blamed on civic issues wherein sewer network from Pallavaram and Pozhichalur flow through the airport. The Indian Institute of technology has submitted a report of re-routing the sewers. But the water from the sewer and the canal that stagnate tend to attract the birds.

The move to study and provide measures for bird and animal hazard control management in operational area and surrounding area up to 10-km radius was initiated a couple of years ago. However, the consultant Vanamitra could not take up the contract as difference of opinion cropped up between Vanamitra and AAI and the project could not be taken up.

Factfile;

1.   More than 4,000 aircraft suffered wild life strikes in last five years (2012-2017)

2.   Air India aircraft suffered bird hit 400 feet above airspace

3.   More than 150 Singapore bound passengers travel itinerary hit as flight got cancelled.

4.   Airport Authority of India to hire consultants to tackle the bird hits in all Airport Authority of India operated airports