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Bird Strike Avoidance
Success in the Field
Sunstate/QantasLink Airlines Pulselite® System Evaluation
The use of the Pulselites® on the DHC8-300 fleet indicates that activation of the pulsing lights in accord with company standard operating procedures resulted in a reduction of wildlife strikes by approximately 50%. The above fleet was averaging approximately 3.65 strikes/aircraft/year prior to the evaluation and approximately 1.83 strikes/aircraft/year with Pulselites®. By comparison, the non-Pulselite® equipped fleet (DHC8-100/200) averaged approximately 1.91 strikes/year/aircraft prior to the evaluation and approximately 1.88 strikes/aircraft/year during evaluation, i.e. statistically minor change only for the non-Pulselite® equipped fleet.
Improved Conspicuity of Aircraft
Approximately 74% of the airline's pilots who responded to the Pilot Survey believe that the Pulselite® system enhances their aircraft's visibility.
Bird Hazards to Aircraft
Departure VS. Arrival
Approaching planes spend the most time in bird zones| In Bird Zone (Below 3000 ft.) | |
| Approach: | 7.9 Nautical Miles |
| Departure: | 1.5 Nautical Miles |
Flying in the Bird Zone
Only 5% of reported strikes with civil aircraft causing substantial damage above 3,500 ft. AGL.Dolbeer's Rule: Above 500 ft. AGL, bird strikes decline by 32% every 1000 ft.
| 500 ft. | 3500 ft. | 3500+ ft. | |
| Day: | 28,806 Bird Strikes1,023 (3.6%) causing substantial damage |
7,469 Bird Strikes445 (6%) causing substantial damage |
2,686 Bird Strikes85 (3.2%) causing substantial damage |
Wildlife Strikes
The largest number of strikes occur in the approach phase of flight.| Takeoff Run | Climb | Descent | Approach | Landing Roll |
9,931 |
9,000 |
1,816 |
18,883 |
8,532 |
18,931 |
29,231 |
|||
US Department of Agriculture - Research
Aircraft - Mounted Light Experimental Technique
Biologists at the National Wildlife Research Center Sandusky, OH, field station have developed an experimental procedure to test the use of aircraft-mounted light as a potential technique to reduce bird strikes. Test groups of birds were exposed to the approach of a vehicle fitted with 2 aircraft landing lights spaced 12 feet apart on top of the vehicle. The vehicle was driven at a consistent speed of 75miles/hour toward a flight cage immediately next to the road. Flock responses behaviours of brown-headed cowbirds, Canada geese, European starlings, herring gulls, and mourning doves were recorded by a video camera and then quantified. Birds were exposed to, variously, no lights, pulsing lights, and steady lights. The biologists were able to show that birds exhibit earlier and more cohesive avoidance reactions to approaching vehicles in response to light and other external stimuli. Responses to the vehicle differed markedly among species. Further, because of effects of varying ambient light conditions on bird response to the approaching vehicle, the biologists suspect that contrast to background lighting is likely important to increasing avian awareness of approaching aircraft. The results indicate that bird strikes might be reduced in the future by enhancing the visibility of aircraft. Additional research is planned involving varying pulse frequencies and specific light wavelengths.
 Efficacy of aircraft landing lights in stimulating avoidance behavior in birds. Journal of Wildlife Management 68:725-732. 718K |
Reduce the Likelihood of Bird strikes
95% of all bird strikes occur within a 12 mile radius of the airport. 30% of bird strikes that cause substantial damage occur above 500 ft. The airline industry has asked the question:
Is there a means by which birds might better discern aircraft position and speed, so as to reduce collisions?
We know vision is a primary and highly developed sensory pathway in birds, and recent work has shown that light can be an effective tool as a repellent and, potentially, as an alert. Bird strikes cost the airline industry internationally over $1.28 billion annually. What can be done to make your aircraft more visible to birds? The Pulselite system provides an answer:
By making the aircraft more visible. Airlines that have outfitted the Pulselite System on their fleet have experienced a 20% to 30% reduction or more to their bird strike problem. |
Bird Strike Facts:
Bird strikes are equally likely to occur at night as they are during the day - up to 500 ft. above the runway. Birdstrikes are 7.2 times more likely tooccur at night compared to day between 500 and 3500 ft above the runway. Important Risk Considerations:
Wildlife Strikes and Associated Costs:
(Serial Report #12, June 2006) |
