Australia’s unique ecology is beautiful and awe-inspiring, but it also presents real hazards to the aviation industry. From kangaroos on runways in the bush to giant flocks of starlings at coastal airports, wildlife strikes are an ongoing problem for general aviation pilots, commercial air carriers, and airports across the country. Bird and bat activity can be particularly troublesome at some urban aerodromes such as Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Learning how to identify, prevent, and mitigate wildlife hazards is an important part of flight training for all pilots. A firm understanding of these issues can also make for thoughtful answers in your cadet pilot interview and in any future job interviews along your aviation career pathway.

Wildlife Strike Risks and Statistics

Wildlife strikes, also known as “bird strikes” are defined by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) as an encounter with an aircraft or ground vehicle while on or in flight. ATSB’s searchable database indicates that thousands of wildlife strikes are reported to them each year in Australia, with birds involved in the vast majority of these.

While wildlife strikes can often cause little to no damage, significant numbers result in expensive damage, flight delays and diversions, aborted takeoffs, and in the worst cases, serious accidents. Airframes, engines, windshields and landing gears are most often damaged by wildlife strikes.

Airports and operating facilities must manage the risk of wildlife incursions especially during takeoff and landing. These are the phases of flight where an aircraft’s lower flight profile and reduced speed and climb performance leave it with limited options to avoid or fly through an unexpected strike. Many mammals have also been recorded wandering onto runways at regional airports in Australia, from kangaroos and wallabies to foxes and rabbits. Ground animals can damage an aircraft’s undercarriage or cause loss of directional control on landing or rollout.

What Locations Are Most at Risk?

Wildlife risks differ from region to region in Australia and are also impacted by local ecosystems, climate, seasonal migration patterns, and land use practices. Areas of highest risk or concern for wildlife hazards typically include the following:

● Coastal airports (Cairns, Darwin, etc. ): Seagulls, ibis and fruit bats

● Inland/regional aerodromes: Kangaroo and emu activity

● Agricultural areas: Scavengers and flocking birds such as galahs, cockatoos

● Urban airports: Predominantly feral pigeons, starlings, and migratory birds

Remain vigilant when operating in these environments at all times, and especially during dawn and dusk when wildlife is most active.

Airport-Level Mitigation Strategies

Airports and aerodrome operators have primary responsibility for proactively reducing wildlife incursions and strikes. Standard practices in use around the country include:

1. Habitat and Attractant Reduction

Removing, reducing, or managing sources of attractants for wildlife (open water sources, food waste and other organic matter, long grass, etc) reduces the desirability of areas around runways for birds and ground animals.

Regular grass-cutting and vegetation control operations also help to manage ground wildlife and discourage animal access onto the runway.

2. Physical Barriers and Exclusion

Wildlife fencing is widely used in Australia to prevent kangaroos, foxes, rabbits, and other animals from accessing runways or taxiways.

Bird netting and spiking on buildings and hangars helps deter birds from nesting and roosting on airport structures.

3. Active Deterrents

Pyrotechnics, gas cannons and predator calls can be used to disperse birds and create an inhospitable or threatening environment.

Wildlife officers can also monitor for and detect the presence of birds on runways using radio calls and surveillance systems.

4. Radar and Bird Detection

Radar technology can be used to track bird activity in the vicinity of airports and provide early warnings to ATC and flight crews.

Effective implementation of wildlife hazard management procedures often relies on state-of-the-art technology.

These and other strategies are most effective when airports maintain an ongoing, formally documented Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP) as part of compliance with Australia’s Civil

Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 139.

Pilot Role in Wildlife Risk Awareness and Mitigation

Wildlife hazards should be monitored and managed by flight crews before and during all phases of flight.

Flight planning and pre-flight preparation should include:

l Monitoring NOTAMs and any wildlife activity mentioned in the aerodrome information area

l Checking historical strike data for the airport or known hotspots

l Visually inspecting the runway and circuit area for wildlife hazards during pre-flight

l Standard operating procedures for takeoff and landing phases should include:

l Flying with landing lights and strobes on to improve visibility

Delaying departure or repositioning in the circuit if there is notable large bird activity

Avoiding or reconfiguring takeoff if there is low flying or bird activity near the runway

Performing a cautious climb-out to maximum climb speed for aircraft type following takeoff to maximise control if a strike does occur.

Student pilots enrolled in an authorised pilot course in Australia will cover all of these topics in their private pilot theory and exam preparation. Instructors also use real-world examples and hypothetical scenarios to train and test student responses to wildlife hazards and strikes.

Emergency Procedures for Wildlife Strikes

Wildlife strikes should be declared to ATC and reported to the CASR Part 139 operator immediately, in accordance with emergency and incident reporting protocols.

Standard reporting and follow-up procedures after a wildlife strike include:

l Declaring a PAN or MAYDAY if the engine or other vital aircraft systems are damaged

l Returning for landing at the nearest suitable aerodrome and inspecting the aircraft

l Coordinating with ATC to perform a runway inspection and coordinate clearance

l Filing an incident report to aid ATSB’s wildlife strike database

l Reporting wildlife strikes helps improve reporting, tracking, and analysis of trends, and updating risk assessments and future safety practices.

Future Research and Trends

Airports, universities, and government agencies around Australia are active in wildlife strike prevention and mitigation research. Strategies such as bio-acoustic deterrents, automated wildlife drone patrol systems and predictive analytics based on bird migration data are under development and testing.

Aviation safety regulators also stress the importance of safety culture and risk management in the context of wildlife hazards. Flight schools, charter operators and commercial airlines are expected to play an active role in hazard reporting and awareness.

Wildlife hazards in aviation are not going away, but with good planning, an appreciation of the environment, and robust operational practices, we can minimise their impact.

Cadet pilots and other students on structured pilot training pathways should consider wildlife strike risk and prevention as a key knowledge area. At your cadet pilot interview, you can use examples of simple risk mitigation and management strategies, such as how you would respond to a bird strike or where to find wildlife strike warnings in a NOTAM or ADI.