FAAN acquires equipment to reduce bird strike incidents at airports
In a bid to improve on safety of flight operations by effectively managing birds/wildlife hazards at the nation’s airports, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commissioned some birds/wildlife equipment.
At an event held at FAAN’s headquarters annex in Lagos, the Managing Director of the Authority, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, who was represented by the Director of Commercial and Business Development, Alhaji Sadiku Rafindadi noted that the equipment are some of the best you can get around, as the Authority procured them on the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
According to Yadudu, the deployment of these equipment would usher in an era of safe flight operations, as incidents relating to birds strikes will now be a thing of the past.
In his remarks, the Authority’s Director of Airport Operations, Captain Muktar Muye expressed his delight at the arrival of the equipment. He noted that what was being commissioned is not just the equipment but a complete package that also include the recommended storage facility, patrol vehicle and trained personnel in line with ICAO/s Standards and Recommended Practices.
Some of the hitech equipment commissioned include three different models of bird scaring gas canons, Dayboxes for carrying pyrotechnics during Operations for safety, 15,000 rounds of 12G (heavy caliber bird scaring pyrotechnics), Hi-tech bird laser, Personal Protective Equipment for staff dealing with wildlife, Purpose built TYPE IV explosive storage magazine, Brand new Hilux jeep for Runway wildlife patrol, among others.
The event climaxed with a practical demonstration of the use of some of the equipment by the representative of the MD/CE and the Director of Airport Operations.
Just recently, a day after Aero’s incident, A Max Air’s Abuja bound aircraft suffered a bird strike ten minutes after take-off at the Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA), forcing the aircraft to return to Kano. Among the passengers was the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero.
The Max Air B737 plane with registration number VM1645 which was slated for take-off 1.30 pm had about a 30 minutes delay. The aircraft later took off around 2:00 pm with passengers with full passenger load.
It was discovered that the aircraft engine was hit by a bird during take-off, affecting some of the blades of the aircraft engine, forcing the captain of the aircraft to make air-return, a standard practice in aviation to forestall accident.
Investigation shows that bird strike incidents usually affect the engines of aircraft, which costs about $1 million to replace, depending on the type and capacity of the aircraft involved in the incident. This is apart from the cost of shipping the engine into the country.
There are said to be at least 10 bird strike incidents, affecting Nigerian carriers yearly in the aviation industry.
Also in attendance were the General Managers; Operations, Mrs. Olajumoke Oni; Environment, Mr. Nehemiah Auta; Special Duties, Mr. Kabiru Muhammed; Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service, Mr. John Ekpe; Regional General Manager, South West, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba; representative of the GM Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Christabel Eromosele; Chief of Staff to MD/CE, Mr. Lawal Abdullahi, amongst others.
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