Managing Wildlife Hazards on Airports Stephanie Parsons Environmental Science Associates Overview • FAA Rulemaking • Wildlife Hazard Assessments • Identifying Potential Hazards • Methods for Reducing.
Download ReportTranscript Managing Wildlife Hazards on Airports Stephanie Parsons Environmental Science Associates Overview • FAA Rulemaking • Wildlife Hazard Assessments • Identifying Potential Hazards • Methods for Reducing.
Slide 1
Managing Wildlife Hazards on Airports
Stephanie Parsons
Environmental Science Associates
Slide 2
Overview
• FAA Rulemaking
• Wildlife Hazard Assessments
• Identifying Potential Hazards
• Methods for Reducing or Preventing
Attractants
Slide 3
FAA Rulemaking
Who is Required to Prepare WHA?
• Part 139 Certificated Airports
– 14 CFR Part 139.337
– Federal Grant-in-Aid Grant
Assurances
– CertAlerts
• General Aviation Airports
– Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Funds
Grant Assurances
– Passenger Facility Charges (PFC)
• General Applicability under the CFR
– 40 CFR Part 258 “Criteria for Municipal Solid
Waste Landfills”
Slide 4
FAA Rulemaking
Certification Alert
• Part 139 to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments if they
experience a “triggering event” as outlined in Part 139.337 (b):
–
–
–
–
multiple wildlife strikes
substantial damage from striking wildlife
engine ingestion of wildlife
wildlife of a size, or in numbers, capable of causing any of the items
described above
Slide 5
FAA Rulemaking
Mandatory Wildlife Hazard Assessments
• The FAA believes all airports should understand the level of
wildlife activity on or near their airport
• 2009 Rulemaking
– Assessments mandatory at all
Part 139 airports whether or not an
airport has had a “triggering event”
• The FAA plans to publish a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking
Slide 6
FAA Rulemaking
General Aviation Airports
• FAA program to conduct Wildlife Hazard
Assessments at approximately 2,000 GA
airports
– GA airports with 100 or more based jets or
75,000 total operations per year
– Remaining GA airports based on aircraft,
operations and triggering events
• Phased-in approach
– Group 1, 168 GA
– Initiated by 2015
• AIP funding available for these
assessments and follow-on WHMP
Slide 7
Part 139 Airports - CertAlerts
Additional Guidance on Part 139 Airport
Certification and Related Issues
• CertAlert No. 04-16: Deer Hazard to Aircraft and Deer Fencing
• CertAlert No. 98-05: Grasses Attractive to Hazardous Wildlife
• CertAlert No. 06-07: Requests by State Wildlife Agencies to
Facilitate and Encourage Habitat for State-Listed Threatened
and Endangered Species and
Species of Special Concern on Airports
• Certalert No. 04-09: Relationship
Between FAA And Wildlife Services
Slide 8
FAA Advisory Circulars
• 150/5200-32A, Reporting Wildlife Aircraft Strikes
– Importance of reporting collisions between aircraft and wildlife
– How to report, process, accessibility and Feather ID Program
• 150/5200-33B, Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near
Airports
– Identifying certain land use areas in the vicinity of public-use airports that have
the potential to attract hazardous wildlife
– Placement of new airport development projects (including airport construction,
expansion, and renovation) pertaining to aircraft movement in the vicinity of
hazardous wildlife attractants
• 150/5200-34A, Construction or Establishment of New Landfills
Near Public Airports
– How to comply with new Federal statutory requirements about the construction
or establishment of new landfills within six miles of certain public airports
• 150/5200-36, Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist
– Qualifications for wildlife biologists who conduct WHAs
– Addresses the minimum wildlife hazard management curriculum for the initial
and recurrent training of airport personnel involved in implementing an FAAapproved Wildlife Hazard Management Plan
Slide 9
Phases of Wildlife Hazard Assessments
Slide 10
Wildlife Hazard Management Plans
• States measures to decrease hazards and list responsible parties
• Prioritize and determine a target schedule for implementing
measures
• Identify resources the certificate holder will use to implement plan
• Document wildlife control permits needed
• Provisions for effective communication to
implement the plan and training
• Procedure to review and evaluate the plan
• Submitted to the FAA Administrator for
approval and incorporation into the
Airport Certification Manual
Slide 11
Determine Hazards
• Identify land uses on and around airport which
may serve as attractants
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Municipal solid waste landfills
Water and storm water management facilities
Wetlands
Agriculture
Golf course
Landscaping
New development
Preserves
Slide 12
Determine Hazards
• Observations at
potential attractants
– Types of wildlife
– Location of wildlife (Grass,
ponds, structures)
– Patterns or use (flyover,
foraging, loafing)
– Times of day (Dawn, dusk,
midday)
• General observations
of surrounding or in
between areas
Slide 13
Determine Hazards
• If available, review strike history
• Evaluate operations, observations, and strike
reports
– Are there patterns that would impact operations?
• Develop a plan to address
An integrated, landscape-level management
approach is necessary to ensure an overall reduction
in potential hazards
Slide 14
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Four basic control strategies are available to
solve wildlife problems on airports:
– Aircraft flight schedule modification
• Idea: do not depart during a 20-minute period at sunrise or
sunset during winter when large flocks of blackbirds cross
an airport going to and from an off-airport roosting site.
– Habitat modification and exclusion
– Repellent and harassment techniques
• (CA) State Bill 481 - Management of Wildlife at Public Use
Airports
– Wildlife removal
• USDA
• Depredation permit
Integrate all four control strategies where feasible
Slide 15
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Habitat Modification
– Reduce food, water and cover
• Eliminate handouts and improperly stored
•
•
•
•
•
food waste
Mow and maintain vegetation at 6-10 or
7-14 inches
Mow all areas within your control
Avoid vegetation that produce seeds or
fruits
Avoid creating dense canopy
Grass with endophytes (bacteria/fungus)
•
varieties of fescue
Slide 16
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Habitat Modification
– Reduce food, water and cover
• Modify storm drain system (detain max
•
•
•
•
•
48-hours)
Use bird balls, wire grids or netting on
ponds
Place anti-perching devices on light
poles, ledges, roof peaks, signs, posts
etc
Use 45 degree or more angles on
ledges
Maintain fencing
Wildlife patrols and runway sweeps in
vehicles
Slide 17
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Design Review for Airport and Tennant Projects
• Creating a Wildlife Hazard Working Group
– Define Problem
– Develop Management Strategy
– Conduct Periodic Assessments
• Outreach and Coordination
–
–
–
–
Environmental Permitting Agencies
Local Jurisdictions (Planning, Development, Code Enforcement)
Tennants
Stakeholders and Decision Makers
Slide 18
Resources
• FAA Airport Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Home Page
– Quick links to FAA ACs, Cert alerts, regulations, manuals, reports, forms,
on-line strike reporting, strike database, and training
– http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html
• USDA Wildlife Damage Management
– Research on Aviation Safety, Report on Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in
the US, Fact Sheets, USDA Activities
– http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/
• Wildlife Hazard Management Workshops
– Next Scheduled Event: January 23-25, 2013, Burbank, CA (BUR) Airport
– http://worldwide.erau.edu/professional/seminars-workshops/wildlife-hazardmanagement/index.html
• Birdstrike Committee USA
– Next Conference: August 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
– http://www.birdstrike.org/
• International Birdstrike Committee
– Best Practices Guide
– http://www.int-birdstrike.org/
Slide 19
Resources
• Manuals
– Wildlife Hazard Management at Airports, a Manual for Airport
Operators, (2nd edition. 2005 available in English and Spanish and
the 1st edition 1999 available in English, Spanish, French,
Chinese). This is the first of a kind publication to provide basic
guidance to addressing Wildlife Aircraft Strike issues at airport.
– Annual Report, Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United
States, 1990-2008. First published in 1995, this document provides
information on wildlife hazard strikes to civil aircraft.
– To view these documents go to http://wildlifemitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html#manuals.
Slide 20
Thank You
Managing Wildlife Hazards on Airports
Stephanie Parsons
Environmental Science Associates
Slide 2
Overview
• FAA Rulemaking
• Wildlife Hazard Assessments
• Identifying Potential Hazards
• Methods for Reducing or Preventing
Attractants
Slide 3
FAA Rulemaking
Who is Required to Prepare WHA?
• Part 139 Certificated Airports
– 14 CFR Part 139.337
– Federal Grant-in-Aid Grant
Assurances
– CertAlerts
• General Aviation Airports
– Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Funds
Grant Assurances
– Passenger Facility Charges (PFC)
• General Applicability under the CFR
– 40 CFR Part 258 “Criteria for Municipal Solid
Waste Landfills”
Slide 4
FAA Rulemaking
Certification Alert
• Part 139 to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments if they
experience a “triggering event” as outlined in Part 139.337 (b):
–
–
–
–
multiple wildlife strikes
substantial damage from striking wildlife
engine ingestion of wildlife
wildlife of a size, or in numbers, capable of causing any of the items
described above
Slide 5
FAA Rulemaking
Mandatory Wildlife Hazard Assessments
• The FAA believes all airports should understand the level of
wildlife activity on or near their airport
• 2009 Rulemaking
– Assessments mandatory at all
Part 139 airports whether or not an
airport has had a “triggering event”
• The FAA plans to publish a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking
Slide 6
FAA Rulemaking
General Aviation Airports
• FAA program to conduct Wildlife Hazard
Assessments at approximately 2,000 GA
airports
– GA airports with 100 or more based jets or
75,000 total operations per year
– Remaining GA airports based on aircraft,
operations and triggering events
• Phased-in approach
– Group 1, 168 GA
– Initiated by 2015
• AIP funding available for these
assessments and follow-on WHMP
Slide 7
Part 139 Airports - CertAlerts
Additional Guidance on Part 139 Airport
Certification and Related Issues
• CertAlert No. 04-16: Deer Hazard to Aircraft and Deer Fencing
• CertAlert No. 98-05: Grasses Attractive to Hazardous Wildlife
• CertAlert No. 06-07: Requests by State Wildlife Agencies to
Facilitate and Encourage Habitat for State-Listed Threatened
and Endangered Species and
Species of Special Concern on Airports
• Certalert No. 04-09: Relationship
Between FAA And Wildlife Services
Slide 8
FAA Advisory Circulars
• 150/5200-32A, Reporting Wildlife Aircraft Strikes
– Importance of reporting collisions between aircraft and wildlife
– How to report, process, accessibility and Feather ID Program
• 150/5200-33B, Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near
Airports
– Identifying certain land use areas in the vicinity of public-use airports that have
the potential to attract hazardous wildlife
– Placement of new airport development projects (including airport construction,
expansion, and renovation) pertaining to aircraft movement in the vicinity of
hazardous wildlife attractants
• 150/5200-34A, Construction or Establishment of New Landfills
Near Public Airports
– How to comply with new Federal statutory requirements about the construction
or establishment of new landfills within six miles of certain public airports
• 150/5200-36, Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist
– Qualifications for wildlife biologists who conduct WHAs
– Addresses the minimum wildlife hazard management curriculum for the initial
and recurrent training of airport personnel involved in implementing an FAAapproved Wildlife Hazard Management Plan
Slide 9
Phases of Wildlife Hazard Assessments
Slide 10
Wildlife Hazard Management Plans
• States measures to decrease hazards and list responsible parties
• Prioritize and determine a target schedule for implementing
measures
• Identify resources the certificate holder will use to implement plan
• Document wildlife control permits needed
• Provisions for effective communication to
implement the plan and training
• Procedure to review and evaluate the plan
• Submitted to the FAA Administrator for
approval and incorporation into the
Airport Certification Manual
Slide 11
Determine Hazards
• Identify land uses on and around airport which
may serve as attractants
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Municipal solid waste landfills
Water and storm water management facilities
Wetlands
Agriculture
Golf course
Landscaping
New development
Preserves
Slide 12
Determine Hazards
• Observations at
potential attractants
– Types of wildlife
– Location of wildlife (Grass,
ponds, structures)
– Patterns or use (flyover,
foraging, loafing)
– Times of day (Dawn, dusk,
midday)
• General observations
of surrounding or in
between areas
Slide 13
Determine Hazards
• If available, review strike history
• Evaluate operations, observations, and strike
reports
– Are there patterns that would impact operations?
• Develop a plan to address
An integrated, landscape-level management
approach is necessary to ensure an overall reduction
in potential hazards
Slide 14
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Four basic control strategies are available to
solve wildlife problems on airports:
– Aircraft flight schedule modification
• Idea: do not depart during a 20-minute period at sunrise or
sunset during winter when large flocks of blackbirds cross
an airport going to and from an off-airport roosting site.
– Habitat modification and exclusion
– Repellent and harassment techniques
• (CA) State Bill 481 - Management of Wildlife at Public Use
Airports
– Wildlife removal
• USDA
• Depredation permit
Integrate all four control strategies where feasible
Slide 15
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Habitat Modification
– Reduce food, water and cover
• Eliminate handouts and improperly stored
•
•
•
•
•
food waste
Mow and maintain vegetation at 6-10 or
7-14 inches
Mow all areas within your control
Avoid vegetation that produce seeds or
fruits
Avoid creating dense canopy
Grass with endophytes (bacteria/fungus)
•
varieties of fescue
Slide 16
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Habitat Modification
– Reduce food, water and cover
• Modify storm drain system (detain max
•
•
•
•
•
48-hours)
Use bird balls, wire grids or netting on
ponds
Place anti-perching devices on light
poles, ledges, roof peaks, signs, posts
etc
Use 45 degree or more angles on
ledges
Maintain fencing
Wildlife patrols and runway sweeps in
vehicles
Slide 17
Managing Wildlife Hazards
• Design Review for Airport and Tennant Projects
• Creating a Wildlife Hazard Working Group
– Define Problem
– Develop Management Strategy
– Conduct Periodic Assessments
• Outreach and Coordination
–
–
–
–
Environmental Permitting Agencies
Local Jurisdictions (Planning, Development, Code Enforcement)
Tennants
Stakeholders and Decision Makers
Slide 18
Resources
• FAA Airport Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Home Page
– Quick links to FAA ACs, Cert alerts, regulations, manuals, reports, forms,
on-line strike reporting, strike database, and training
– http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html
• USDA Wildlife Damage Management
– Research on Aviation Safety, Report on Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in
the US, Fact Sheets, USDA Activities
– http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/
• Wildlife Hazard Management Workshops
– Next Scheduled Event: January 23-25, 2013, Burbank, CA (BUR) Airport
– http://worldwide.erau.edu/professional/seminars-workshops/wildlife-hazardmanagement/index.html
• Birdstrike Committee USA
– Next Conference: August 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
– http://www.birdstrike.org/
• International Birdstrike Committee
– Best Practices Guide
– http://www.int-birdstrike.org/
Slide 19
Resources
• Manuals
– Wildlife Hazard Management at Airports, a Manual for Airport
Operators, (2nd edition. 2005 available in English and Spanish and
the 1st edition 1999 available in English, Spanish, French,
Chinese). This is the first of a kind publication to provide basic
guidance to addressing Wildlife Aircraft Strike issues at airport.
– Annual Report, Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United
States, 1990-2008. First published in 1995, this document provides
information on wildlife hazard strikes to civil aircraft.
– To view these documents go to http://wildlifemitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html#manuals.
Slide 20
Thank You