Ref: Sharing the skies: Naval aviation training mitigates risk of bird strikes | Quarterdeck | militarynews.com
News release by Anne Owens, Chief of Naval Air Training.
Conclusion:
“Changes to the BASH mitigation policy benefit TW-2 strike students and instructor pilots, keeping them safer at their training wing airfield, and also benefit the wing as a whole, more clearly denying the accessibility and limits of operations during high migratory periods or severe BASH risk, and allowing training to continue when conditions are favorable.
The avian radar now in place at NAS Kingsville now holds the capability to report the target’s size, altitude, and direction of travel that could pose a risk to Naval Aviators and flight operations. Additionally, it can track large and small mammals moving on or across a runway, day or night, and allow air traffic control to warn pilots and deploy rapid response teams to disperse animals that pose a risk to pilots and their aircraft.
Even with only a few months of data collected since updated BASH policies went into effect, the trends have been distinctly positive. From January to August 2022, TW-2 has 14 less bird strikes than in 2021 in the same time span. While the safety of CNATRA’s Naval Aviators will always remain a top priority, ultimately, even when bird strike risk is low, it’s never zero.”
Full release download here
