Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Are pigs the answer to bird strikes? One airport is trying to find out
Schiphol international airport is the gateway to the Netherlands’s capital, Amsterdam. It is the busiest airport in Europe in terms of aircraft movements. Though there was no serious incident, about 150 bird strikes were reported around the airport in 2020. When birds are sucked into the engines of aircraft, it could cause serious danger, especially during landing or takeoff. For safety, the busy airport has 20 bird controllers who work 24-7 to keep birds away. Recently, they tested a pig pilot project for six weeks. Of course, pigs don’t fly airplanes but they could keep birds away from runways. They were deployed in the plot between two runways where sugar beets had been harvested. They ate the crop leftovers which would have attracted large birds like geese. Also, their presence discouraged birds to come close as pigs try to eat them, even though they can’t move fast enough to catch any. The effect of this pig pilot project is being reviewed by the airport authority. Did pigs enjoy working in the noisy airport?
Enjoy reading the article about how pigs could contribute to the aviation industry.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/schipol-airport-amsterdam-pigs-scli-intl/index.html
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