4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 1

BIRDSTRIKE RISK MANAGEMENT

Nick YearwoodNick Yearwood UK CAAUK CAA

Aerodrome Strategy & StandardsAerodrome Strategy & Standards

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 2

BIRDSTRIKE RISK MANAGEMENT

Recent events

Information sharing

High risk birds

Bird populations

Reporting

Data quality, analysis & trends

Harmonised recording

EASA actions

Stakeholder engagement

Off-Airport

SMS & HF

Technologies

NAA Safety Plans & Initiatives

Birdstrike Committees

The future

Lessons learned

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 3

RECENT EVENTSNov 2008 Ryanair B737-800 landing at Rome Ciampino - Flock of starlings

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 4

RECENT EVENTS

Jan 2009 USAir A320 take off from La Guardia - Flock of Canada geese

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 5

RECENT EVENTSSimilarities - Both incidents occurred ‘off ’ airport, but were they predictable? (known rising populations of geese and well publicised habitat issues with millions of starlings in Rome)

Would either event have been influenced by effective on-airport bird control?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 6

RECENT EVENT (INFORMATION SHARING)

FAA releases birdstrike data into the public domain

Should ICAO, EASA & NAAs also now consider information sharing in the public domain?

Stakeholders need access to data

Regulators cannot sit on safety data

Would withholding data pass the public interest test?

FOI requests (UK)

Should stakeholders consider publishing their own data, provide context and narrative to improve understanding?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 7

HIGH RISK BIRDS (MULTIPLE-LARGE-FLOCKING)

Increasing populations

Bird conservation, wetland restoration, climate & food source

Require special mitigations - State intervention

Bird intelligence & special control measures –particularly off airport – land usage

In 2001, UKCAA guidance highlighted risks to aircraft – “Large flocking birds – an international conflict between conservation & air safety” (caa.co.uk)

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 8

BIRD POPULATIONS

Changes to national bird populations and migratory patterns - is there a correlation between changes in bird populations and changes in the number of strikes by certain species?

Are Conservation & Environmental Organisations sharing information with Regulators & Govmt Agencies?

Who is looking at the indicators – and the bigger picture?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 9

MANDATORY REPORTING

Mandatory Birdstrike reporting (MBSR) should be aimed at all stakeholders in order to gather more data

How should regulators ‘police’ MBSR? (SMS auditing)

Some EU MS have dual reporting systems, mandatory for CAT and voluntary for GA – can this work?

More data & information is positive, but crucial to reporting is the quality of data being providedquality of data being provided

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 10

REPORTING OF STRIKES BY FOREIGN AIRCRAFT OPERATORS

Despite mandatory reporting, UK data indicates just 20% of strikes in the UK reported by non-UK carriers – but 50% of these by just one carrier

According to FAA/USDA data - approx 2% of all strikes reported in US are reported by non-US carriers – majority of these are Canadian carriers

Why foreign carriers are not reporting to the state where the strike took place needs to be investigated

Could ECCAIRS help facilitate information exchange between NAAs?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 11

EASE OF REPORTING

Online reporting systems are desirable, providing easy access for majority of stakeholders and standardisation of reported data

UK roll-out 1/1/2008, combined with mandatory reporting, the number of strikes reported in the UK 2003-2008 increased by 50%, majority of the increases shown to be reports submitted by aircrew/pilots

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 12

DATA QUALITY

Vital for the purpose of establishing accurate hazard severity indicators & risk assessmentToo many “unknown” elements within existing dataAccurate species ID is the keyAccurate species ID is the key to improving the quality of data and understanding birdstrikesImproved risk assessmentHow can NAAs assist stakeholders to improve the quality of data being reported?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 13

DATA ANALYSIS & TRENDS

Mandatory reporting will increase the number of reports involving non-hazardous strikes – this should be considered positive - pointing to increased awareness and improved reporting culture – but underlying trends need to be assessed too

Are near miss and unconfirmed strikes being recorded and analysed for trends?

UK data: serious strikes vs 10k/ ATMs no increase last 10yrs – despite MBSR

Analysis to identify trends of strikes vs bird populations is required in order to establish links

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 14

DATA ANAYSIS & TRENDS

Releasing raw BS data can be misleading, interpretation requires specialist understanding of bird species (and size) vs risk vs aircraft movements

Without knowledge of species risk, the ranking of airports by the number of strikes is highly misleading, and has the potential to cause reputational damage to the stakeholder

“which is the worst airport, the one reporting 100 strikes per year, or the one reporting just 5”?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 15

UK BIRDSTRIKE NUMBERS

Rolling Average: All Birdstrikes & MORs

0200400600800

100012001400

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

All

Bird

strik

es

45

50

55

60

65

MO

R B

irdst

rikes

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 16

HARMONISED RECORDING PLATFORMS

Joined up approachICAO (IBIS)

EASA Local NAA databases But who “owns” the data and are there any legal

blocks to sharing?

(ECCAIRS)

Standardise and harmoniseAssimilate dataInformation outputs as well as inputs Information exchange between MS

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 17

EASA ACTIONS ON BIRD STRIKES

EASA Paper 2008 – Bird Population Trends and their impact on aviation safety 1999-2008

Concluded – Birdstrike Certification Reqs for light a/c & small helicopters should be reviewed

Following the 2008 paper EASA commissioned a study “bird strike damage & windshield bird strike” to report by Nov 09

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 18

EASA ACTIONS ON BIRD STRIKES

Aim of study:

to review existing bird strike requirements (excluding engines) across all aircraft airworthiness codes (aeroplane and rotorcraft)

determine adequacy, both in scope and level of protection offered, to meet current and foreseeable bird strike risks (may lead to revised Aircraft CS)

Future rule making may use Annex 14 as the basis for future BS reporting requirements (or guidance –as yet unknown)

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 19

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTAirports play both proactive and reactive roles –SMS, hazard ID, off-airport intelligence gathering, risk assessment, management plans, policies, procedures, personnel competencies & training, equipment, tools, technologies, then post event birdstrike ID

But what can airlines do? Some UK carriers are now proactively engaged with birdstrike risk – conducting airport bird management audits

Engagement via flight safety committees

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 20

OFF-AIRPORT

Bird attractants, habitats & populations ‘in the vicinity’need to be assessed as part of airport birdstrike risk assessment and eliminated or controlled and mitigated where practicable

Requires cooperation and coordination with land-owners, local government and planners – may result in planning controls

Liabilities of land-owners may become an issue

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 21

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Total system approach to birdstrikes

Common requirements across domains

Birdstrike risk must be embedded into an organisational SMS, enabled by a strong safety culture

All airports must have management plans, demonstrating risk assessment methodology

Regulator SMS Audit against the Management Plan

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 22

HUMAN FACTORS

Airport & Wildlife Personnel – Skills & CompetenciesStaff Training - On-going & Continuous Development & Assessment, MonitoringStakeholders education and awareness via Airline & Airport Flight Safety Committees & BSCs.Familiarity with reporting and recording systemsAdherence to common requirements, and local operating proceduresManagement accountability, oversight & audit

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 23

TECHNOLOGIESPost USAir – rush towards avian radar as the panacea but further trials are needed at CAT airports to assess tactical & operational capabilities and integration with air traffic control

To early to assess whether avian radar information can be used tactically

But who pays - Airports, ATC, NAA or the State?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 24

LIABILITIES

UK - 1973 landmark case

Airport failed in its duty of care,

“defective system” for aerodrome bird control

plaintiff awarded damages $750k for cost of a/c write-off

Airline operators may seek to recover costs of damage and disruptions from airport operator

Ryanair’s case vs ENAC thrown out by Italian Regional Court

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 25

SAFETY INITIATIVES AND ACTION PLANS

Does Birdstrike Risk have sufficient priority in national and international safety plans?

ICAO, EASA – ESSI & ECAST, Eurocontrol

Consistent with MS NAAs?

FAA Safety Programmes?

Review of Birdstrike related Accidents/Incidents international & nationally – data driven safety plans

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 26

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL BIRDSTRIKE COMMITTEES

ICAO Recommendation

Forum for Regulator & Stakeholder information exchange & data sharing, best-practice and lessons learned

Use as consultative group - shaping future regulatory policy with stakeholders engaged

IBSC - USA/Canada BSC - UKBSC & some EU MS BSCs (but not all)

Formation of EU Birdstrike forum is requiredFormation of EU Birdstrike forum is required

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 27

THE FUTURE

New technologies (Avian Radar & Lasers) need to be trialled, tested and embedded into mitigation programmes

Existing & traditional bird control methods may be just as effective, but look for improvements

Stakeholders need to focus on bird hazard mitigation both on and, increasingly, offoff--airportairportBetter quality of report data is needed- greater % of species ID – reduce the Unknownsreduce the UnknownsImprove Information sharing between all stakeholders

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 28

THE FUTUREIncreasing air traffic

Increasing bird populations – Management is needed

potential for increased birdstrike collision risk

Increased costs for damage & disruptions

Improvements to Aircraft/Engine Certification Standards (particularly for GA & rotary a/c) required

Data driven SMSSMS - risk based, assessment & auditing

Strengthened stakeholder engagement on a national and international basis

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 29

LESSONS LEARNED?As far back as 2000 UKCAA presentation to FSF said:It is clear that;

The rate of encounters (with SG & CG) is increasing, and that;Urgent action is required to prevent a catastrophic outcome from this single causeThreat from large flocking birds is increasingCan only be resolved by urgent and effective management of the goose population

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 30

LESSONS LEARNED?We suggested that;It is clear that additional measures need to be taken in order to bridge the gap between engine capability and the threat.These measures must be aimed at managing the managing the population of large flocking birds.population of large flocking birds.

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 31

CAN STAKEHOLDERS DEMONSTRATE THEY ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO MANAGE THE RISK, MITIGATE AND

PREVENT BIRDSTRIKES?

4 June 2009 EU-US Aviation Safety Conference Athens Slide 32

THANK YOU

ANY QUESTIONS

NICK YEARWOODUK CAA

AERODROME STRATEGY & STANDARDS