Bird strikes at Coventry Airport 'minimal'
03.02.06
Six herring gulls, a lapwing and a kestrel are among the species killed by aircraft flying into or out of Coventry Airport since its Thomsonfly operation began. They were among 14 birds that have been sucked into jet in the past two years. Three common gulls and a house martin have also perished.
Despite these deaths, ornithologist Dr Roy Armstrong believes this is no reason to stop its new terminal being built - and he insists the risk of aeroplanes hitting birds is 'minimal'. He told the inquiry into the plan to build a new passenger terminal: 'Coventry Airport has an enviably low rate of bird strikes.'
'This demonstrates the site is very suitable for the ongoing passenger operations from a bird strike viewpoint and that the existing measures to control bird strike are highly effective. The levels of bird strike have been very low compared with national figures and other airports in England.'
'The data clearly indicate that the low rate remained throughout 2004, with an impressive 0.78 per 10,000 aircraft movements. This compares very favourably with national averages of three to six per 10,000 aircraft movements.' The rate fell in 2005 to 0.45 per 10,000 movements, and only one bird - a common gull - was hit by a Thomsonfly jet.
Dr Armstrong claimed support for his assertions from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and English Nature. The only organisation that has raised objections is Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, which has claimed nearby wetlands will be affected - but Dr Armstrong dismissed its claims as 'unsubstantiated and misconceived.'
He concluded: 'There can be few sites in the UK more suited in ornithological terms for passenger flights than Coventry Airport.'
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