Have the Birds Become an Invincible and Uncontrollable Enemy ?
This question has once again come to the forefront after birds caused a passenger plane to crash in South Korea early Sunday morning.
South Korean authorities stated on Sunday that the plane crash at Moan International Airport may have occurred during an attempted landing without the use of landing gear due to a malfunction.
Jeju Air flight was expected to land at Moan International Airport, 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, at 8:30 AM after it departure from Bangkok, Thailand.
However, the accident occurred at 9:07 AM during the second landing attempt after the first attempt was aborted because the plane was unable to land normally.
A source at the accident site stated that the plane, while attempting to land without wheels, failed to slow down until it reached the end of the runway.
The aircraft sustained damage after colliding with a structure at the end of the runway, resulting in a fire.
The suspected cause of the landing gear malfunction is a bird strike.
Birds as the Primary Culprit of South Korea Plane Accident
According to a statement issued by South Korea authorities.
The primary blame has been placed on flocks of birds.
This scenario is similar to the crash of Azerbaijan Embraer 190, which resulted in the death of 42 passengers.
Initial reports concluded that the likely cause was a bird strike after the plane collided with a flock.
The frequent occurrence of aviation accidents caused by bird flocks raises the recurring question of:
Which bird species are most responsible for these incidents ? and how to avoid them and predict their movements ?
90% of bird strikes occur near airports
According to a report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, waterfowl, gulls, and birds of prey account for approximately 75% of reported incidents.
While the International Civil Aviation Organization stated that 90% of bird strikes occur near airports.
Typically during takeoff or landing, or when aircraft are flying at low altitudes where most bird activity takes place.
This is exactly what happened with the Korean plane today, confirming the hypothesis that flocks of birds were the primary cause.
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Radars and Bird Tracking:
A temporary, but not entirely effective, solution adopted by some airports and airlines is the use of radar systems such as:
The “Airport Hazard Assessment System” (AHAS) to provide pilots with real-time data on bird activity in flight areas.
However, the greatest challenge lies in the simultaneous increase in air traffic and the number of large birds.
Detection and radar technologies are often limited to alerting pilots without providing real-time solutions to avoid collisions.
Making current radar systems more like a temporary fix than a permanent cure for this deadly phenomenon.
Birds will continue to pose a daily threat near airports until the development of a more effective countermeasure.
