Bird-hit incidents on rise at Chandigarh airport, number spikes from two in 2018 to 25 in 2023

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, December 19

The Chandigarh Airport has reported rise in bird-hit incidents, suffered by civilian aircraft, with the number spiking from two in 2018 to 25 till October 31, 2023.

From three bird-hit incidents reported in 2019 and two in 2020, the number shot up to 16 in 2021 and 15 in 2022, according to data placed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The data, giving out details of confirmed wildlife strike reported at 112 airports across the country, indicates an increasing trend of bird-hit incidents at most of the airports.

In 2023, Delhi topped the list with 169 bird-hit incidents, followed by Ahmedabad with 81, Bengaluru with 76 and Mumbai with 67.

Bird-hit incidents are a potential hazard to flight safety and can cause not only serious damage to the airframe, but also result in an engine flame-out if ingested, leading to losses worth crores of rupees.

The Chandigarh airport is ‘civilian enclave’ at a defence airbase, implying that while the terminal building, parking apron for civilian aircraft and passenger amenities come under the purview of the Airports Authority of India, the runway and other air traffic services are owned and controlled by the Air Force.

Over the years, the Chandigarh airbase has witnessed heavy construction along its periphery, including encroachment on the aircraft approach path, which add to safety hazards.

The Air Force authorities have repeatedly raised the issue of encroachments with the civilian administration.

Presenting the data to the upper house in response to a question raised by Member of Parliament, Dr Santanu Sen, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen VK Singh (retd) said that analysis of data of wildlife (bird/animal) strike indicates that the maximum number of strike to the airplanes occurs during landing and take-off phases. 

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued regulations and guidelines for management of potential wildlife hazard at licensed airports.

Rule 91 of The Aircraft Rules, 1937, prohibits dumping of garbage and slaughter of animals that may attract wildlife within 10 kms of the Aerodrome Reference Point.

An Aerodrome Advisory Circular of 2017 has been issued to aerodrome operators for implementing an effective wildlife control mechanism.

Further, the relevant provision of Civil Aviation Requirement mandates aerodrome operator to evaluate wildlife hazard by competent personnel and action to be taken to decrease the risk to aircraft operations by adopting measures to minimize the likelihood of collisions between wildlife and aircraft. 

In 2022, Aerodrome Advisory Circular was issued to identify the gaps and ensure strict implementation of plan for wildlife hazard management on and in the vicinity of aerodromes.

Compliance of the regulation and guidance issued for Wildlife Hazard management is being done through annual surveillance inspections of the aerodrome.

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