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Bird Strike Summary Report - 1994

1994 Summary Report - Bird Strikes to Canadian Aircraft
Section 1 - Introduction

This report provides a summary of Canadian bird strike statistics for 1994. It is intended for the use of all personnel who develop and implement Airport Bird and Mammal Control Programs, Employee Training Programs, and Public Awareness and Information Programs. Included in this group are pilots, airfield staff, airline maintenance personnel, airport managers and headquarters staff. The information contained in this edition reflects the 1994 situation only, and therefore may differ from established trends.

Also, it should be noted that Bird Strike incidents are reported from four major sources, each with a different emphasis. A large portion of the information is derived from Transport Canada sites, and therefore reflects bird strikes for transport aircraft, and within these, mostly commercial airlines. These sources are:

  1. Pilot Reports: These reports are completed by private and commercial pilots on a form provided by Transport Canada. They are submitted voluntarily and regularly by most airline pilots and emphasize aircraft and flight parameters at the time of a strike.
  2. National Defence Reports: Pilots of all DND aircraft and Air Traffic Services personnel are required to complete and submit reports of bird strikes. They use forms similar to those used by civilian pilots, but submit them under DND standards. This information is then forwarded to Airports Group by Air Command Headquarters for incorporation into this report.
  3. Airline Headquarters Reports: Airline companies submit annual summaries of bird strike incidents to Transport Canada on a voluntary basis. These reports emphasize aircraft damage, repair costs and the operational effects of bird strikes.
  4. Airport Site Reports: Personnel at airports operated by Transport Canada are required to submit an Airport Staff Bird Strike Report after observing, finding evidence of, or being informed of a strike. Airfield Maintenance and Emergency Response Services personnel are usually involved in this task. Transport Canada standards require this reporting as part of an airport's wildlife control program; the emphasis is on identifying the kind of bird(s) involved. These reports are supplemented by reports that originate from an airport's Air Traffic Control Office. Airport personnel can also forward strike reports to Headquarters using the Operational Incident Reporting System (OIRS) on the Transport Canada mainframe computer.

Bird strikes are often reported through more than one source. When this occurs, specific information from the different sources is combined into a single incident report. The result is a more complete description of bird strike incidents.

  • kind of bird
  • time of occurrence
  • phase of flight
  • aircraft struck
  • height of strike
  • aircraft operator
  • date of occurrence
  • sky conditions
  • aircraft damage
  • effect on flight
  • parts damaged

airport

We want to make these summary reports as useful and as practical as possible. Please pass along your comments and suggestions for improvement, and we will incorporate your ideas into future reports.

Bruce MacKinnon (AKPP)
Manager, Wildlife Control
Environmental Services
Airports Group
Transport Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N8
(613) 990-0515
FAX: (613) 990-0508

Special thanks are extended to Tracy Aradi, University of Manitoba Cooperative Education Program, who produced the 1994 edition of this report.

Date modified:
2010-05-03