Airports utilize Wildlife Hazard Site Visits for several beneficial reasons. Site Visits are quick and thorough series of data collections performed by Certified Airport Wildlife Biologist to provide recommendations to Airport Operators on current hazards, future risks, whether a full Wildlife Hazard Assessment needs to be performed or if certain parts of the airports Wildlife Hazard Management Plan needs to be updated. Site Visits last between one and three days and are intended to provide a quick evaluation and recommendation for Airport Operators to mitigate risk and ensure safety for planes, passengers, and pilots. Wildlife Hazard Site Visits is composed of three parts that the biologist will focus on.
1: Review strike history, WHMP, and WHA.
2) Observe wildlife from several locations on the airfield
3) Provide a final report and summarization with findings and recommendations.
If an airport already has a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP), airport managers can utilize a Site Visit to investigate wildlife strikes to aircraft to determine if updates, or changes need to be made to the current WHMP. Airports can also use a Site Visit to determine if habitat change or land development in the surrounding area of an airport will increase the wildlife hazard risk. For non-certificated airports that do not have a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan in place, a Site Visit can provide a suitable basis to develop a basic yet effective WHMP.
The Loomacres Process
Lots of information will be reviewed and requested by your Airport Wildlife Biologist assigned to your Site Visit, your biologist will be collecting and researching information on the following items
Surveying and Observing Your Airfield
The FAA requires that during a site visit the Certified Airport Wildlife Biologist must record observations from multiple locations on the airfield in which we mark on a map to ensure that we have a complete visual of the airport property. Observations include the following and why they are important.
Strike Reports: Reviewing a record of wildlife strikes either logged on the FAA Database or in house as well as the severity of the strike, injuries, damage, flight delays, fatalities and species of wildlife involved is extremely important when conducting a site visit.
Habitat Attractants: Assessing and recording how the wildlife uses the habitat on the airfield as well as how tall the grass and vegetation is, type of grass, review the mowing schedule from maintenance, brush, and overgrown areas can help identify potentially hazardous areas.
Water: Determine whether any water is detention/retention, standing, depth, and vegetation around it.
Buildings, Structures, & Fencing: Determine the purpose of amount of usage of buildings, are the doors open often, look for broken windows or access points for wildlife. Driving the perimeter of the fence and report any holes, dig outs, or potential access points for wildlife to enter and exit the airfield. Also, the height of the fence and condition it is in.
Mammal & Avian Survey (birds): Record bird species present and note abundance, activity, and location, type of habitat used, time and date of observations. Record time of sighting, species, location and whether it is considered large or small mammal.
Permits: Review all state and federal permits needed for wildlife control as well as reports to make sure the airport is following state and federal regulations.
Wildlife Hazard Assessment: Reviewing the most recent WHA will provide a cross reference for our biologist on the airfields hazards already identified as well as checking the WHMP for information.
Depredation or Hazing Reports: Reviewing any depredation records of when wildlife was depredated and where can help form a pattern or identify a risk. Also reviewing the effectiveness of hazing wildlife and tactics used will gauge whether new techniques are needed.
Summary and Recommendations
After all the reviewing of data and analyzing the information collected from observations on the airfield your biologist will put together a detailed summary of the Site Visit. This report will contain all identified hazards, and any recommendations to your current Plan or whether a full Wildlife Hazard Assessment should be considered.
BLOG: www.airportwildlife.com/blog/why-wildlife-hazard-site-visit-are-needed
1: Review strike history, WHMP, and WHA.
2) Observe wildlife from several locations on the airfield
3) Provide a final report and summarization with findings and recommendations.
If an airport already has a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP), airport managers can utilize a Site Visit to investigate wildlife strikes to aircraft to determine if updates, or changes need to be made to the current WHMP. Airports can also use a Site Visit to determine if habitat change or land development in the surrounding area of an airport will increase the wildlife hazard risk. For non-certificated airports that do not have a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan in place, a Site Visit can provide a suitable basis to develop a basic yet effective WHMP.
The Loomacres Process
Lots of information will be reviewed and requested by your Airport Wildlife Biologist assigned to your Site Visit, your biologist will be collecting and researching information on the following items
- Wildlife Strike History – In house data and the FAA Strike Database.
- Habitat Attractants on or near the airfield
- Airport Maintenance and Operations Procedures
- Current Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP)
- Most Recent WHA
- State & Federal Wildlife Control Permits
- Direct or In Direct Wildlife Observations
- Mitigation and Wildlife Control activities
- Perimeter Fence Condition
- Communication of hazards between pilots and ATC
Surveying and Observing Your Airfield
The FAA requires that during a site visit the Certified Airport Wildlife Biologist must record observations from multiple locations on the airfield in which we mark on a map to ensure that we have a complete visual of the airport property. Observations include the following and why they are important.
Strike Reports: Reviewing a record of wildlife strikes either logged on the FAA Database or in house as well as the severity of the strike, injuries, damage, flight delays, fatalities and species of wildlife involved is extremely important when conducting a site visit.
Habitat Attractants: Assessing and recording how the wildlife uses the habitat on the airfield as well as how tall the grass and vegetation is, type of grass, review the mowing schedule from maintenance, brush, and overgrown areas can help identify potentially hazardous areas.
Water: Determine whether any water is detention/retention, standing, depth, and vegetation around it.
Buildings, Structures, & Fencing: Determine the purpose of amount of usage of buildings, are the doors open often, look for broken windows or access points for wildlife. Driving the perimeter of the fence and report any holes, dig outs, or potential access points for wildlife to enter and exit the airfield. Also, the height of the fence and condition it is in.
Mammal & Avian Survey (birds): Record bird species present and note abundance, activity, and location, type of habitat used, time and date of observations. Record time of sighting, species, location and whether it is considered large or small mammal.
Permits: Review all state and federal permits needed for wildlife control as well as reports to make sure the airport is following state and federal regulations.
Wildlife Hazard Assessment: Reviewing the most recent WHA will provide a cross reference for our biologist on the airfields hazards already identified as well as checking the WHMP for information.
Depredation or Hazing Reports: Reviewing any depredation records of when wildlife was depredated and where can help form a pattern or identify a risk. Also reviewing the effectiveness of hazing wildlife and tactics used will gauge whether new techniques are needed.
Summary and Recommendations
After all the reviewing of data and analyzing the information collected from observations on the airfield your biologist will put together a detailed summary of the Site Visit. This report will contain all identified hazards, and any recommendations to your current Plan or whether a full Wildlife Hazard Assessment should be considered.
BLOG: www.airportwildlife.com/blog/why-wildlife-hazard-site-visit-are-needed