Wildlife Hazard Management
The risk of wildlife strikes to aircraft has been increasing. The National Wildlife Strike Database shows about 9,500 cases recorded in 2009, four times the number from 1990, with no signs of decline. Three-quarters of these incidents occur less than 500 feet above ground level. While major catastrophes are infrequent, millions of dollars in aircraft damage is reported annually. FAA regulations require airports of all sizes to mitigate potential wildlife hazards.
C&S has on staff two of the very few, non-federally employed professionals to be recognized as a nationally qualified airport wildlife biologist per Advisory Circular 150/5200-36. With this expertise in house, C&S provides the following services:
- Wildlife hazard assessments
- Wildlife hazard management plans
- Wildlife hazard management training
- Funding support
- Air carrier interface
- Airport management/staff education and information
- Community relations
C&S provides 8-hour wildlife hazard training courses, as required by FAA’s Advisory Circular 150/5200-36 and FAR 139.337. The course consists of 6 hours of classroom discussion about the historical and current state of wildlife-aircraft hazards, wildlife-related laws and regulations, bird and mammal identification, and applicable wildlife control methods. The remaining 2 hours of the course is spent discussing the safe use of pyrotechnics for wildlife control—including hands-on training—and reviewing your airport’s wildlife hazard management plan.