Bird/wildlife strike hazard mitigation intiative at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal
Ram Mani Thapaliya
Board Member of World Birdstrike Association (WBA), South Asia Region
National Program Coordinator, Capacity Building International Network (CBIN)
1st Floor, AB Building, Putalisadak 31,
Ramshah Path, 44600 Kathmandu, Nepal,
+977-9851111803
rmthapaliya@gmail.com
and
Anish Tamang
Board Member of World Birdstrike Association (WBA), South Asia Region
Capacity Building International Network (CBIN)
1st Floor, AB Building, Putalisadak 31
Ramshah Path, 44600 Kathmandu, Nepal
+977-9860458205
anishtamang.birdstrike@gmail.com
Abstract: Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Kathmandu, Nepal is situated in the middle of the country at an elevation of 4,390 feet in a valley surrounded by hills, was a green pastureland “Gaucharan” used as a landing strip by a single-engine aircraft was declared an International Airport in 1964. TIA was an isolated area at the time of its establishment in 1949, but now it’s among the dense human settlements. The first bird strike incident was pronounced in 1996 at TIA, when the left engine of Thai Airways Airbus 300 was damaged after striking eagles. Bird strike incidents increased during August – October in 2000, and one of these incidents the engine of a B-757 aircraft was heavily damaged. The first bird strike human fatality recorded in September 2012, a black kite collied with a right-hand engine of Sita Dornier 601, crashed shortly after take-off, 19 people were killed. In 2014, Jet Airway (India) B737 lost one engine due to bird strike. Study found 39 bird species at TIA, and mostly Birds of prey like kites, eagles, and vultures are major bird types hazardous to aircraft operations, polluted rivers on either side of runway, un-scientific municipal solid waste management, and emergence of earthworms near the runway and taxiways after monsoon rains in late summer caused bird attractants. Since, TIA has been adopting the measures of bird control at TIA i) Habitat Management, ii) electronic devices and Bird scaring Techniques, iii) Municipal garbage and waste control, iv) Study and Research, v) international co-operation, and vi) Public awareness. Capacity Building International Network (CBIN) has been conducting public awareness on environmental deterioration check among airport closet communities and community’s capacity building through a training and awareness on production and use of composting in interest to prevent bird attractants at TIA. Since 2014, a serious bird strike incident has not been at TIA. CBIN has recommended CAA Nepal i) to carry out the baseline bird survey, ii) to adopt new bird dispersal technologies iii) to undertake integrated program of action to mitigate the birds/wildlife hazard problem at TIA and other major airports in Nepal.
Ram Mani Thapaliya
Anish Tamang
