AAI begins study to curb bird hits at airport

Two-year study to be headed by former director of Zoological Survey of India

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has begun a study to curb the menace of bird hits at Chennai airport. A bird strike — an incident where a bird hits an aircraft either during landing or take-off — can be a big nuisance, as it can cause an aircraft to have an aborted take-off or even damage an aircraft, among other issues.

Officials of the AAI said they had recently awarded the contract to a four-member team headed by Krishnamurthy Venkatraman, former director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.

Devising solutions

In the study, that will go on for about two years, experts will study the types of birds in the neighbouring areas of Chennai airport, the pattern of bird strikes in the past, the reasons why they are attracted to the airport and how it can be reduced.

Mr. Venkatraman, who has already done such studies at airports in Kolkata and Andaman, said: “We plan to create several small pits and traps in the airport with worms and small reptiles to feed the birds and then catch them. The bird hits happen before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m and can occur at an altitude of 500-2,000 m. We will carry out an elaborate study to find every minute detail and then propose solutions for the same.” On many occasions, kites come into the path of flights at the Chennai airport, he added.

Mr. Venkatraman said they would not just study the airport area, but a 10-km radius around it, as any nearby meat or fish stall or thick vegetation can attract a lot of birds.

AAI officials said they also planned to find ways to shift the meat and fish stalls in the upcoming environment committee meeting.