Flight Safety - Winged Danger

Green laser technology that Sweeps airport runways to scare away birds could help civil aviation authorities combat a large threat to aircraft safety during take off and landing. At Airport Expo Dubai from June 2 to 4, French company Lord Ingenierie will showcase the latest generation green laser technology which is already used by more than 40 airports around the world.

As the aviation industry expands and the volume of air traffic continues to increase, so does the serious threat posed by bird strikes, but the sophisticated laser technology could help many airports throughout the Middle East tackle the menace.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, 90 per cent of bird strikes occur at or near airports during takeoff or landing and the US Federal Aviation Administration has reported 61 per cent of bird strikes occur at a height below 30 m. Nearly 65 per cent of bird strikes occur at dawn or dusk, when birds are on runways in search of food. Bird and wildlife strikes to aircraft costs the US civil aviation industry more than $600 million (Rs 2,589 crore) annually, while 220 people have been killed worldwide as a result of bird strikes in the last 20 years.