Page 30 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2013 ( CHINESE EDITION ) Online Magazine

FEATURE BIRD STRIKE

Giving the Bird

Bird strikes are a serious problem to airports around the world,
and many have sought ways to reduce the threat of bird-plane
collisions, sometimes resorting to simple “bird patrols”. Japan’s
NEC Corporation introduces a new system that they hope can help
reduce the incidence of bird strikes. By Josephine Pang

Bird strikes, or collisions Between No wonder then, that everyone has
birds and aircraft, are known to be been looking for ways to reduce the
capable of causing major damage, and threat of bird strikes – particularly during
have been an enduring problem for as take off and landing, when the accidents
long as humans have had aircraft. most often occur. To that end, in 2012,
As recently as August last year, a Japan’s NEC Corporation launched the
bird – later hypothesised to have been Bird Position Detection Solution, which
a large goose or duck – crashed into a claims to help prevent or reduce the
United Airlines Boeing 737 in the US, incidence of bird strikes.
causing a large gash in the aircraft’s
nose and dent just under the cockpit How it works
window. Fortunately, no one was hurt and Currently deployed at Tokyo International
the plane landed safely, but estimates Airport (also known as Haneda Airport),
put the worldwide cost of bird strikes the system consists of radar apparatus,
to commercial aircraft at over a US$1 video monitoring equipment, data
billion annually. processing devices, and large sound-
30 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2013 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM