CJIA considers culling birds to prevent bird- strikes

Top aviation and livestock stakeholders met on Wednesday to consider several measures to prevent birds from flying in close proximity to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport following Tuesday’s bird-strike which forced the emergency landing of a Caribbean Airlines jetliner carrying 152 passengers.

A vulture had been sucked into one of the aircraft’s engines. Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn met with the stakeholders of the livestock industry at the CJIA. Attendees at the meeting included representatives of CJIA Corporation, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Public Works and Communications Ministry, Guyana Poultry Producers Association, the Livestock Development Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to a release by the CJIA, the implications the presence of birds around the airport had for the safety of aircraft operations were addressed, and it was agreed that a number of measures will be implemented to discourage the presence of birds in the Timehri/ Soesdyke areas.

These measures include sensitisation of livestock farmers on the dangers and impact of bird- strikes, and mitigating actions that can be taken to prevent birds from being within close proximity of the airport. One such action proposed was the disposal of waste materials in an environmentally friendly and safe manner. A cull of the birds is also being contemplated.

The CJIA Corporation will organise a working group comprised of stakeholders to facilitate implementation and monitoring of the agreed measures.

Stakeholders were informed that the bird-strike occurred approximately four miles from the airport in the vicinity of the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway at about 3000ft while the aircraft was still ascending.

According to information, the flight took off at about 10: 24h with 152 passengers and a six- man crew. However, within two minutes of the flight, a bird suspected to be a vulture became caught in the left engine of the aircraft. The pilot made a decision to return to the airport after informing air traffic control of what had occurred.

Immediate clearance was given by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) for the aircraft to return. In preparation for a possible emergency landing, as per usual, the Guyana Fire Service with fire tenders were on standby along with a medical team. Fortunately, the airplane landed incident-free and within five minutes the passengers were evacuated.

The CJIA engineers inspected the aircraft and found blood and feathers in the engine compartment. The flight was grounded due to the extensive damage the bird had caused to the engine. After a short delay, the 152 passengers boarded another craft, which was initially supposed to leave on a flight at 14: 50h. The aircraft reportedly transported the passengers to Trinidad, where another aircraft took them to their respective destinations.