BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA

 

Understanding and reducing bird and other wildlife hazards to aircraft

 

 

Updated 13 March 2008


 

2008 meeting, Orlando, Florida, 18-21 August and call for papers

2007 Meeting, Kingston, Ontario

PDF files of Technical Program, 2006 meeting

Abstracts from meetings, 1999-2007

Best Management Practices for airports

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Steering Committee

Report a Strike

Significant Strike Events

Links

News and Information

Top Ten Bird Strike Myths

Key Issues to Reduce Strikes

Bird Strike Risk Assessment

Contact Us

 

WHY IS THERE A BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA?

Bird and other wildlife strikes to aircraft annually cause well over $600 million in damage to U.S. civil and military aviation. Furthermore, these strikes put the lives of aircraft crew members and their passengers at risk: over 219 people have been killed worldwide as a result of wildlife strikes since 1988. Within the United States there was no one forum where information or concerns dealing with this problem could be addressed. Bird Strike Committee USA was formed in 1991 to facilitate the exchange of information, promote the collection and analysis of accurate wildlife strike data, promote the development of new technologies for reducing wildlife hazards, promote professionalism in wildlife management programs on airports through training and advocacy of high standards of conduct for airport biologists and bird patrol personnel, and be a liaison to similar organizations in other countries.

Bird Strike Committee USA is a volunteer organization directed by a 9- to 12-person steering committee consisting of 2-3 members each from the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, and aviation industry.

WHEN AND WHERE DOES BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA MEET?

The organization meets annually in conjunction with Bird Strike Committee Canada. 

·  The 2004 meeting , with 434 attendees, was in Baltimore, Maryland USA on 13-17 September.

·  The 2005 meeting was in Vancouver, B.C. Canada on 15-18 August.

·  The 2006 meeting, with 390 attendees, was 21-24 August in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.  

·  The 2007 meeting was 10-13 September in Kingston, Ontario Canada.

·  The 2008 meeting will be 18-21 August in Orlando, Florida.

WHAT HAPPENS AT A BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA MEETING?

There typically are four parts to a Bird Strike Committee USA meeting over 3 ½ days. Part 1 is practical classroom and field training sessions on wildlife control at airports which cover both civil and military aviation. Part 2 consists of the presentation of technical papers and posters. Part 3 is exhibits and demonstrations with vendors. Part 4 is a field trip which generally covers the host airport or a wildlife management area to observe management programs and habitat issues related to wildlife and aviation safety.

WHAT SUBJECT AREAS ARE COVERED DURING THE PAPERS AND REPORTS PORTION OF THE MEETING?

· bird and other wildlife strike reporting/statistics
· bird management and control techniques
· research on new technologies to reduce wildlife hazards
· training in wildlife management on airports
· military concerns of wildlife hazards
· aircraft engines/components related to wildlife hazards
· policy/airport standards concerning wildlife hazards
· land use and environmental issues concerning airports
· bird migration and general ornithology related to aviation
· remote sensing/modeling to detect and predict bird movements

ARE THERE ANY BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA PUBLICATIONS?

Attendees of the annual meetings receive abstracts of the technical papers presented and a list of all attendees and addresses. Click here to locate abstracts from past meetings.  PDF files of many of the presentations at the 2006 meeting are available by clicking here.

WHO ATTENDS BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA MEETINGS?

Participation in the annual meetings is open to any person interested in reducing wildlife hazards to aviation and in wildlife and environmental management at airports. As examples, people from the following organizations have attended recent meetings:

· Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association
· Aircraft and Aircraft Engine Manufacturers
· Air Line Pilots Association
· American Association of Airport Executives
  Airports Council International-NA
· Airport management and operations personnel
· Air Transport Association
· Engineering/Environmental Consulting Firms
· FAA Regional Airport Certification Personnel
· Flight Safety Foundation
  Humane Society of the United States
· National Bird Strike Committees
· International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
· State Wildlife Agencies
· University and Private Research Facilities
· USDA Wildlife Services
· US Fish and Wildlife Service
· US Department of Defense Personnel
· Wildlife Management Companies


DID YOU KNOW THAT?

·        Over 219 people have been killed world-wide as a result of bird strikes since 1988.

·        Bird and other wildlife strikes cost USA civil aviation over $600 million/year, 1990-2006.

·        Over 5,000 bird strikes were reported by the U.S. Air Force in 2006.

·        Over 7,500 bird and other wildlife strikes were reported for USA civil aircraft in 2007.

·        An estimated 80% of bird strikes to civil aircraft in USA go unreported.

·        From 1990-2004, USA airlines reported 31 incidents in which pilots had to dump fuel to lighten load during a precautionary or emergency landing after striking birds on takeoff or climb.  An average of 11,600 gallons of jet fuel was released in each of these dumps. 

·        Waterfowl (31%), gulls (26%), and raptors (17%) represented 74% of the reported bird strikes causing damage to USA civil aircraft, 1990-2006.

·        Over 740 civil aircraft collisions with deer were reported in the USA, 1990-2007.

·        A 12-lb Canada goose struck by a150-mph aircraft at lift-off generates the force of a 1,000-lb weight dropped from a height of 10 feet.

·        In 1890, 60 European starlings were released in Central Park, New York City.  Starlings are now the second most abundant bird in North America with a late-summer population of over 150 million birds.  Starlings are "feathered bullets", having a body density 27% higher than herring gulls.

·        The North American non-migratory Canada goose population increased 3.6 fold from 1 million birds in 1990 to over 3.5 million in 2006.

·        The nesting population of American bald eagles in the contiguous USA increased from fewer than 400 pairs in 1970 (2 years before DDT and similar chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were banned) to over 9,000 pairs in 2007.

·        The North American population of greater snow geese increased from about 50,000 birds in 1966 to over 1,000,000 birds in 2006.

·        The Great Lakes cormorant population increased from only about 200 nesting adults in 1970 to over 260,000 nesting adults in 2006, a 1,000+-fold increase.

·        The North American white and brown pelican populations grew at average annual rates of 3.7% and 2.1%, respectively, 1966-2006.

·        At least 15,000 gulls were counted nesting on roofs in USA cities on the Great Lakes during a survey in 1994.

·        About 90% of all bird strikes in the U.S. are by species federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
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Meeting Information

 

Useful Links


For further information contact:

Richard Dolbeer, Chair, BSC-USA
6100 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870

(419) 625-0242
(419)-625-8465 fax
richard.a.dolbeer@aphis.usda.gov