Bird strikes are an existential threat to airline operations in Nigeria, and are still highly placed in the hierarchy of factors that disrupt airline operations in the country.
This was the major concern of the Managing Director (MD) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed at the 7th edition of the recently concluded Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition held from 13 – 14 September, 2023 at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
According to the MD, “The Federal Government of Nigeria is investing a lot of money in equipment that will help solve the bird strike problem. Our records show that we have paid about $300,000 – $400,000 to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to that effect, and our collaboration is ongoing. We have even started researching on the bird strikes trend, with the aim of determining how the phenomenon comes about, because bird strikes don’t just happen. We also know that there are particular zones that are prone to bird strikes”, he said.
Mr. Kabir went on to divulge that FAAN has already commissioned a consultant who is going round the airports in order to decipher how best to tackle the problem: “The way you tackle bird strikes in Abuja may not necessarily be the same way you will tackle it in Owerri or Benin, as your methods will depend on the geographical location of the airport in question”, he noted, and assured that the issue of bird strikes will soon be addressed accordingly.
Nigerian airline operators constantly bemoan the problem of bird strikes, and for good reason, as the replacement of a single aircraft engine affected by the phenomenon can cost an airline up to $3.2 million. This year alone, some airlines are reported to have experienced up to eighteen (18) bird strikes, and will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief if the problem is addressed as soon as possible.
