NEW DELHI: Alert air traffic controllers at Delhi Airport on Wednesday asked two incoming aircraft to initiate a go-around after pilots of a third aircraft which had landed on the runway the two were supposed to touch down on, had reported “an eagle very close on landing roll.” Both the aircraft safely went around and touched down safely on the second attempt. While IGIA has always seen a worrying amount of bird activity along with several other airports like that in Ahmedabad, the same increases during and after rains as the waterlogged ground means insects on the surface that attract even more birds.On Wednesday at 11.54 am, an Air India Express flight IX 1037 landed on IGIA’s runway 09 which is closest to Dwarka side. “The pilots reported an eagle very close during landing roll. Two other incoming aircraft — Air India’s AI 1892 from Patna and IndiGo’s 6E 2088 from Madurai were to land soon thereafter. To avoid bird hit, the air traffic control immediately asked them to go around. They landed subsequently in the second attempt,” said a senior ATC official. Whenever a pilot reports bird activity on the airfield, the airport takes steps to drive away the birds including bursting crackers.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last June summoned airport operators to discuss the continuing menace of wildlife hazards, including bird hits. Dirty surroundings and slaughter houses near airports, among many other factors, attract birds leading to bird hits. Bird hits increase during monsoon as waterlogged ground forces worms to the surface, attracting more birds that usual.The DGCA had about four years back written to airports on the issue. “We are all aware that during monsoon season wild life (birds and animals) activity increases in and around airports. Presence of wildlife in airport vicinity poses a serious threat to aircraft operational safety. All airports are requested to review their wild life hazard management plan for any gap and ensure strict implementation of strategies for wild life hazard management within and also outside the airfield,” DGCA had said in a letter to all airport operators and airport directors in June 2022.Within the airport, the steps to be taken include: “grass trimming and spraying of insecticides; frequent runway inspection for bird activities; deployment of bird chasers and bird scaring devices; Regular garbage disposal in the operational area and avoiding water concentration and open drains.”For tackling the issue outside airport premises, the DGCA had said: “Airport Environment Management Committee (AMC) meetings (should) be convened to discuss and review implementation of measures to reduce bird hazard. Frequent inspection by airport wild life hazard management team/AMC to identify sources of wild life attraction such as garbage dump, open disposal of abattoir/butcheries waste and coordination with local authorities for mitigation of sources of wild life attraction.”Rules specifically prohibit any slaughtering or flaying of animals or dumping garbage in a way which could attract animals and birds within a 10-km radius of airports. “… airfield environment management committees at airports (which are headed by chief secretaries) should take proactive measures on time-bound basis to ensure that no illegal slaughter houses, garbage dumps exist in the vicinity of airports. (these) are source of increased bird activity and may lead to wildlife strikes to aircraft during approach/take off,” the DGCA had told states a few years ago.
