newstodate.aero
Mar 17, 2011 (newstodate): Birds and aircraft share the airspace - but make an unfortunate traffic risk.
As the first airport in Europe, Latvia's Riga Airport has now installed a US-manufactured bird detection radar to trace spots in which birds are active, their flight direction and the level of risk in the specific sector or height, depending on the birds weight, location and flight direction.
The system produces visual and audio alarm signals and automatically sends daily reports to specified e-mail addresses. The data are then processed and stored on a server.
The MERLIN radar system will enable the airport to issue bird warnings to ATC operators who will next forward the information to aircraft pilots.
Bird strikes constitute a high risk for aircraft operations during landing and take-off procedures.
As the first airport in Europe, Latvia's Riga Airport has now installed a US-manufactured bird detection radar to trace spots in which birds are active, their flight direction and the level of risk in the specific sector or height, depending on the birds weight, location and flight direction.
The system produces visual and audio alarm signals and automatically sends daily reports to specified e-mail addresses. The data are then processed and stored on a server.
The MERLIN radar system will enable the airport to issue bird warnings to ATC operators who will next forward the information to aircraft pilots.
Bird strikes constitute a high risk for aircraft operations during landing and take-off procedures.