1. Flight Safety Foundation
Benchmarking wildlife strike data at airports to improve aviation safety
Richard A. Dolbeer, PhD, Sandusky, Ohio USA
Michael J. Begier, Washington, D.C. USA
Flight Safety Foundation
66th annual International Air Safety Summit (IASS)
28-30 October 2013

2. Answer: Current system is regulatory-driven under 14 CFR Part 139:
Question: How do we evaluate programs to mitigate risk of wildlife strikes at USA airports?
Answer: Current system is regulatory-driven under 14 CFR Part 139:
If airport has Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP) acceptable to the FAA, the airport is in compliance.
WHMP is reviewed annually for completion of targeted projects (e.g., drainage improvement).
However, the current procedures to evaluate effectiveness of a WHMP and to guide improvements are inadequate.
The current system is the antithesis of Safety Management System (SMS) approach!

3. 1) Airport managers naturally want to know:
How does our program compare to other airports?
How good is our WHMP—are we getting good value (risk mitigation) for money invested?
The current system is a mix of subjective and non-benchmarked objective measures.
Air carriers also want to know this information for the airports they serve.
What process does the civil or military aviation authority use in your country??

4. 2) Air carriers and pilots naturally want to know:
How do the WHMPs at airports we serve compare to other airports?
How good are their WHMPs—are we getting good value (risk mitigation) for money invested? ?
The current system is a mix of subjective and non-benchmarked objective measures.
Air carriers also want to know this information for the airports they serve.
What process does the civil or military aviation authority use in your country??

5. Is there a solution to this dilemma?
We propose that Wildlife Strike Databases can play a key role to:
provide objective benchmarks of airport’s performance in mitigating risk compared to other airports.
Strikes in airport environment (<1500 feet)
Strikes on approach/climb at >1500 feet
If we do not have objective, comparative data, we must base decisions upon subjective opinion!
No one is held accountable!

6. Application of knowledge
Knowledge = Power
Power (Improved WHMP)
Application of knowledge
Objective (quantitative) knowledge
Data analysis
Database provides scientific foundation

7. Filtering the records in database for analysis:
Years =
Airports = 100 busiest airports
(median of 185,000 movements/year)
Height (AGL) where strike occurred
Number of strikes:
Total
With adverse effect*
<=1,500 feet
24,408
1,429 (5.9%)
>1,500 feet
3,431
409 (11.9%)
27,839
1,838
6.4% of strikes cause adverse effect at <1500 feet
*Strikes that cause damage or negative effect on flight (aborted take-off, precautionary/emergency landing, engine shutdown)

8. Why should there be a separate benchmark for strikes on approach/ departure at >1500 feet AGL?
Answer:
These strikes are usually >8 km from AOA.
These strikes are important for risk analysis and mitigation… But these strikes typically are not addressed in an airport’s WHMP.
By creating a separate benchmark, it permits an airport to assess the risk for these “off airport” strikes.
Provides objective basis to incorporate mitigation strategies for these “off airport” strikes into the WHMP.

9. NO WHMP WHMP Flight 1549 Airport
Generally WHMPs do not address issues at >8 Km (5 miles) from airport but damaging strikes often occur beyond 5 miles (at >1500 ft) for aircraft on approach or departure). There needs to be a separate metric or benchmark for these strikes because they will have to be managed differently (e.g., radar, flight pattern adjustments
WHMP
Airport

10. hazard level of species struck (e.g., swallow vs. goose).
What is an objective benchmark of an airport’s performance in mitigating risk?
Should benchmark be the overall strike rate (all reported strikes/100K movements)?
Answer: No! Comparison of the reported strike rate at an airport in relation to rates at other airports is not a valid metric because airports may vary in:
hazard level of species struck (e.g., swallow vs. goose).
completeness of reporting all strikes (e.g., carcasses found on runway).
We see this issue all the time in newspapers where a reporter will compare strike rates among airports or years.

11. Example: Hazard level of Barn Swallows versus Geese, Civil Aircraft, USA, 1990-2011
54% cause AE
<0.5% cause AE

12. Should benchmark be the Adverse Effect strike rate?1, 2
Answer: Yes. Comparison of AE strike rate at airport in relation to rates at other airports is valid metric:
AE strike rate incorporates hazard level of species struck (e.g., swallow vs. dove vs. goose).
There is much less bias among airports in reporting AE strikes compared to all strikes.
Bottom line of airport’s WHMP is to reduce AE strikes.
(1) Strikes at <1500 ft AGL that cause damage or negative effect on flight/100K movements
(2) Strikes at >1500 ft AGL on final approach/initial climb that cause damage or negative effect on flight/100K movements

13. Okay, if we can agree that the AE strike rate is a valid metric, then what are these rates for U.S. Airports?
Adverse Effect strike (snow geese) Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
Nov 2010

14. Maximum = 8.05 Minimum = 0.00 Median = 0.90 Mean = 1.15
Adverse Effect (AE) Wildlife Strikes/100K Movements (< 1500 feet AGL),
SLC
PHX
LGA
DCA
ATL
SMF
CLE

15. No relationship between movements and Adverse Effect Strike Rate for 100 busiest airports, USA, (< 1500 feet AGL)
This is important because it makes the metric robust over all sizes of airports

16. Maximum = 3.96 Minimum = 0.00 Median = 0.17 Mean = 0.30
Adverse Effect (AE) Wildlife Strikes/100K Movements (>1500 feet AGL),
SLC
PHX
LGA
DCA
ATL
SMF
Note, for example, that LGA has a well-above average AE strike rate above 1500 ft AGL, but is at the median for strikes <1500 ft AGL. In contrast CLE has a AE strike rate well above average at <1500 ft but well below at >1500 ft
CLE

17. No relationship between movements and Adverse Effect Strike Rate for 100 busiest airports, USA, (>1500 feet AGL)

18. Relationship between Adverse Effect Strike Rates at <1500 and >1500 feet AGL for 100 busiest airports, USA,
SLC
LGA
This graph demonstrates how an airport can vary (in relation to median) between on and off-airport AE strike rates
ATL
CLE

19. Inherent geographic or site-specific location.
Does this mean that if my airport is below the median AE strike rates (0.90; 0.17), I don’t need to improve anything to mitigate risk?
Answer: No. Every airport should strive for an AE strike rate of 0 at both <1500 and >1500 feet.
Your airport may have a lower risk than many other airports because of:
Inherent geographic or site-specific location.
Superior WHMP and personnel.
Knowing your airport’s AE strike rate provides a “benchmark” or goal to measure future progress or setbacks.

20. Inherent “birdy” geographic or site-specific location.
If my airport is above the median AE strike rates (0.90; 0.17), should I be criticized/penalized?
Answer: Not necessarily. Your airport may have a higher risk because of:
Inherent “birdy” geographic or site-specific location.
An inferior WHMP.
Good WHMP but poorly trained or motivated staff.
However, a high AE strike rate is a red flag; the WHMP needs to be evaluated to lower the rate.
The AE strike rates simply show where your airport stands in relation to other airports and provide “benchmarks” or goals to measure future progress.

21. Is it really fair to compare airports when one airport has more wildlife inherently present than another airport?
Answer: Yes. The FAA compares airports for other safety-related issues (e.g., runway incursions) and then:
Identifies high-risk airports and pin-points problems.
Prioritizes ($) mitigation efforts to reduce risk.
Why should we not do this for wildlife risks?
If we refuse to measure and compare risk, how can we wisely manage to mitigate the risk?

22. Data Rule! Conclusions:
The USA National Wildlife Strike Database has always provided an overview of problem from a national perspective.
The database has matured. It now enables objective evaluation and guidance at individual airports.
We propose an annual report for each Part 139 airport that calculates the AE strike rates for past 5- and 1-year periods at < and >1500 feet AGL in relation to national median values (benchmarks).
These AE strike rates should form the basis for integrating mitigation efforts for strikes at < and >1500 feet AGL into each airport’s WHMP.

23. Conclusions (Continued):
These metrics are dependent on accurate strike reporting at all airports:
All airports should have policies to report all strikes. Revised (2013) FAA Advisory Circular 150/ B states that “every WHMP should include a commitment to document and report to the NWSD all wildlife strikes”
Air carriers should also have similar policies to ensure that all known strikes are documented for each airport (on the airport and during approach/departure phases).

24. If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it!
Safer skies for all who fly!
Thank you.