The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its latest statistics on bird-strikes and other wildlife strikes against aircraft, revealing 2017 to be the worst year ever.
Between 2008 and 2017, there were 16,626 confirmed bird-strikes with 1,921 reported in 2017.
ATSB said however that despite it being a high frequency occurrence, bird-strikes rarely resulted in aircraft damage or injuries.
Releasing the 2008-2017 statistics, ATSB said the number of bird-strikes involving a bird ingested into an engine in high capacity air transport operations had risen in recent years with about one in 10 bird-strikes on turbofan aircraft involving a bird ingested into an engine.
“Additionally, over the 10-year reporting period, there have been 11 occurrences involving one or more birds ingested into two engines of turbofan-powered aircraft,” the Bureau said.
“Australian aviation wildlife strike statistics provide a reminder to aircraft and aerodrome operators to be aware of the hazards posed to aircraft by birds and non-flying animals.”
It said the growth of reporting over the past 10 years had helped ATSB understand better the nature of bird-strikes, and what and where the major safety risks lay.
“The more detailed the information that is provided to the ATSB, the more accurate and useful reports like this one will be,” it said.
The ATSB’s 12-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
