Plane-Bird Collisions: DGCA Issues Guidelines To All Airports

New Delhi: A Go First flight headed to Chandigarh returned to Ahmedabad after suffering a bird-hit.

In June, the engine of a Delhi-bound SpiceJet flight malfunctioned and caught fire because of a bird-hit and the plane had to make an emergency landing.

Concerned with such incidents, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued guidelines to all airports in an attempt to prevent collision of planes with birds and other animals.

Among the most important directive from the country’s airline regulator is to carry out routine patrols and inform pilots whenever there is any wildlife activity.

Following are DGCA guidelines for airports:

* Airports should carry out a wildlife risk assessment and rank them according to the risk posed to aircraft

* Airports must put in place a procedure to monitor and record wildlife movement data

* Airports should have a procedure to notify pilots about any significant wildlife concentration or activity in the vicinity of the airport

* Patrols should be carried out in random patterns than a regular route so that wildlife don’t learn or become accustomed to timing of patrols

* Aerodrome operators must forward monthly action-taken report on implementation of wildlife hazard management programme and provide wildlife strike data by 7th of every month.