Airport undergoes bird strike seminar

CEBU, Philippines - The Mactan-Cebu International Airport is currently undergoing a two-day seminar on Wildlife Hazard Management, especially on the dangers posed by a bird strike, a hazard in the country’s airports.

MCIA general manager Nigel Paul Villarete in a press conference yesterday said in terms of bird strike risk, Cebu airport ranks number five or has a low risk on a bird strike.

“But any hazard to aviation is a risk. That is why we have this kind of seminar as one of our mandates to look at the wildlife situation at the airport,” said Villarete.

A bird strike happens when a bird interferes or gets in contact with an airplane, especially on its way to landing.

A bird can fly as high as 3,500 feet while an airplane can fly as high as 30,000 feet.

Villarete said there are incidents of bird strike at the airport but they do not have any data yet as to the number of times such incidents happened.

As a mitigating measure, Villarete said he has disallowed planting of trees, flowering trees and plants within the airport’s vicinity as these would attract birds.

By next year, Villarete said they will be coming up with a Wildlife Hazard Management and Bird Strike committee which will comprise the local government units of Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu and Consolacion.

“We have to assess not just the airport’s location, but also those LGUs located near the airport,” Villarete said, adding that the said committee will likewise assess the situation of Olango Island where migratory birds all over the world drop by.

“So far, wa pa man hinoon aksidente nga habitabo tungod sa bird strike but the threat is always there,” said Villarete.

MCIA’s operations group, security group and airport police personnel are attending the said seminar. — (FREEMAN)