Birds have been a persistent problem for the aviation industry for many years. Instances of bird strikes, which occur when birds are sucked into jet engines or rotating propellers, often happen during takeoff or landing. In the United States alone, airplanes collide with birds approximately 20 times per day on average.
According to Paul Eschenfelder, a pilot and member of Bird Strike Committee USA, birds can cause significant damage to aircraft. They can crumple the nose cone, punch holes in wings, disable ground steering, or even destroy an engine. Eschenfelder also highlights that a jet engine cannot simply ingest a bird and continue functioning normally. Some bird strikes can be exceptionally dangerous, leading to emergency landings and costly repairs. One notable example is the bird strike incident in New York that resulted in a jet plane landing in the Hudson River.
Birds also create havoc within aircraft hangars. They often roost and build nests in the high ceiling rafters, leaving behind droppings, feathers, and other debris on the floors and aircraft undergoing servicing with open cowlings. When this debris falls into delicate engine parts and assemblies, it poses both operational and safety challenges. Additionally, bird droppings create slip-and-fall hazards for maintenance and repair crews. Overall, the presence of birds in aircraft hangars causes damage, maintenance delays, and unnecessary cleanups.
The issue is further compounded by the fact that many airports and airfields are located near marshlands or bodies of water, which serve as natural habitats for large waterfowl like geese.
