Avian threat looms large over airport

Coimbatore: Bird strikes pose a safety risk to aircraft and passengers in the Coimbatore International Airport.
As many as 26 bird hit cases were reported in 2021-22, compared to 20 in 2020-21, an airport official said. “Bird strikes can damage aircraft, particularly engines. Fortunately, we never experienced a life-threatening event,” he told TOI.
Airport officials are following the mitigation measures suggested by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (Sacon). “While 29 bird hits were reported in 2017-18, 37 were reported in 2018-19 and 47 in 2019-20. However, 2020-21 witnessed only 20 incidents. The drop in the incidents in the last two years could be also due to the low number of flights operated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The measures suggested by ornithologists of Sacon are diligently followed, said airport director V Senthil Valavan. “We have stationed one person every 200-metre to chase away birds. They use Zon guns and crackers to deter birds. We are frequently cleaning a canal passing through the airport premises. We also cut down grass fields to prevent birds from nesting there,” he said.
Lapwings, which prefer fields to build nests, are found in large numbers near the airport, Senthil said. “Lapwings, being small birds, never caused a mishap. However, they can still cause damage to some aircraft if they are sucked into the engine.”
Bird menace cannot be controlled by airport officials alone, an official said. “The city corporation has a major role to play. Keeping the residential areas clean from garbage piles can bring about a major change. Corporation authorities have promised to do so.”