Project Description
Collisions with birds and other animals are one of the major flight safety hazards for aircraft, crew and passengers. These aircraft – wildlife collisions may result in damage and even crashes, jeopardizing human lives and costing billions of Euros annually. The collisions are always fatal for the animals.
With (EC) Regulation 139 / 2014, aerodromes shall minimise the risk of aircraft – wildlife collisions. The aerodrome wildlife control units deploy 4 wildlife hazard management strategies: 1) create a vegetation to make the aerodrome unattractive for hazardous wildlife, 2) harass hazardous wildlife away from the aerodrome, 3) trap and relocate hazardous wildlife and 4) if no other satisfactory solution is available, eventually kill the hazardous animals.
This is in conflict with the EU Habitats and Birds Directives which aim to protect Europe’s nature; Art. 9 offers a derogation for flight safety. Each EU Member State is responsible to have a process to issue and control the use of the derogation permits following the 4 wildlife hazard management strategies.
With the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU aims to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity across Europe, with a special focus on plant and animal species that are in serious decline due to urbanization and agricultural intensification.
Since aerodromes are still hosting a wide variety of wild plant and animal species in all parts of Europe, there is a potential that the aerodromes could, within the limits of aircraft – wildlife strike prevention, contribute to the conservation of the threatened plant and non-hazardous animal species.
Examples of better practices will help aerodromes to apply the most appropriate aircraft – wildlife strike prevention strategies, resulting in:
1) a reduction of the aircraft – wildlife collision hazard;
2) a reduction of the number of individuals affected by derogation permits;
3) an increase of non-hazardous species.
Project Outputs:
A Report on First Stage of the Birds @ Aerodromes Project
The report includes a comprehensive overview of the conflict between flight safety and biodiversity at European aerodromes. It details the initial challenges faced by the project in gathering information due to the sensitivity surrounding derogations and wildlife strikes, which necessitated a focus on building trust within the aviation community. It covers, relevant legislation, and detailed Wildlife Hazard Management (WHM) practices observed during visits to 21 European aerodromes and a dedicated conference. A case study of Vlora airport in Albania, along with insights from the conference, highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing airport development with nature conservation.
Next Step (2025-2027)
In the next phase, a series of hybrid and online workshops will be orginized to develop a practical and effective Risk Assessment Tool (RAT). This tool will support both the authorities overseeing derogation permits and aerodromes in selecting the most suitable strategies to prevent aircraft–wildlife strikes. The workshops aim to actively involve as many aerodromes as possible, create a space for open and constructive dialogue among all stakeholders, and foster stronger cooperation between wildlife hazard management units and regulatory bodies. By safely sharing data, gaining deeper insights into current practices, and identifying critical knowledge gaps, the project will lay the groundwork for smarter, safer, and more sustainable wildlife management at aerodromes.