EFFECTS OF A BIRD HAZARD REDUCTION FORCE ON REDUCING BIRD/AIRCRAFT STRIKE HAZARDS AT THE ATLANTIC CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NJ

Bird-aircraft strikes at the Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) increased from 18 in 1989 to 37 in 1990. The number of bird-aircraft strikes involving gulls (Larus spp.) during this time rose from 6 to 27, a 350% increase. The predominant species involved in bird strikes was the laughing gull (L. atricilla). Pursuant to an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)l Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)/Animal Damage Control (ADC), ADC established a Emergency/Experimental Bird Hazard Reduction Force (BHFF) at ACY in 1991. An Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 1991 Emergency/Experimental BHRF was executed and signed by the FAA on 19 May 1991. The BHRF was adopted at this time by the FAA Technical Center as an annual program to reduce bird strikes at ACY. The BHRF goals are to minimize or eliminate the incidence of bird-aircraft strikes and runway closures due to increased bird activities. A BHRF team consisting of ADC personnel patrolled ACY for 95 days from 26 May until 28 August 1992, for a total of 2,949 person-hours. The BHRF used a combination of pyrotechnics, amplified gull distress tapes and live ammunition to harass gulls away from the airport from dawn to dusk. Gullaircraft strikes were reduced during BHRF operations in 1992 by 86% compared to gull strikes during summer months of 1990 when there was not a BHRF team. Runway closures due to bird activity decreased 100% compared to 1990 and 1991 closures. The BHRF should continue at ACY as long as birds are a threat to human safety and aircraft operations.

Airport Bird Threat in North America from Large Flocking Birds (geese) (as Viewed by an Engine Manufacturer)--Part 1

In worldwide aviation operations, bird collisions with aircraft and ingestions into engine inlets present safety hazards and financial loss through equipment damage, loss of service and disruption to operations. The problem is encountered by all types of aircraft, both military and commercial. Modern aircraft engines have achieved a high level of reliability while manufacturers and users continually strive to further improve the safety record. A major safety concern today includes common-cause events which involve significant power loss on more than one engine. These are externally-inflicted occurrences, with the most frequent being encounters with flocks of birds. Most frequently these encounters occur during flight operations in the area on or near airports, near the ground instead of at cruise altitude conditions. This paper focuses on the increasing threat to aircraft and engines posed by the recorded growth in geese populations in North America. Service data show that goose strikes are increasing, especially in North America, consistent with the growing resident geese populations estimated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Airport managers, along with the governmental authorities, need to develop a strategy to address this large flocking bird issue. This paper also presents statistics on the overall status of the bird threat for birds of all sizes in North America relative to other geographic regions. Overall, the data shows that Canada and the USA have had marked improvements in controlling the threat from damaging birds - except for the increase in geese strikes. To reduce bird ingestion hazards, more aggressive corrective measures are needed in international air transport to reduce the chances of serious incidents or accidents from bird ingestion encounters. Air transport authorities must continue to take preventative and avoidance actions to counter the threat of birdstrikes to aircraft. The primary objective of this paper is to increase awareness of, and focus attention on, the safety hazards presented by large flocking birds such as geese. In the worst case, multiple engine power loss due to large bird ingestion could result in an off-airport forced landing accident. Hopefully, such awareness will prompt governmental regulatory agencies to address the hazards associated with growing populations of geese in North America.

ENHANCEMENT OF THE FAA’s ON-LINE WILDLIFE AIRCRAFT STRIKE DATABASE WITH AN INTERACTIVE GRAPHICS CAPABILITY

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott, AZ, USA) was awarded a grant from the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center in October 1999 to develop and maintain a web site dealing with a wide variety of airport safety wildlife concerns. Initially, the web site enabled users to access related topics such as wildlife management (at/near airports), bird identification information, FAA wildlife management guidelines, education, pictures, current news, upcoming meetings and training, available jobs and discussion/forum sections. In April 2001, the web site was augmented with an on-line wildlife strike report (FAA Form 5200-7). Upon submittal on-line, “quick look” email notifications are sent to concerned government personnel. The distribution of these emails varies as to whether there was damage, human injuries/fatalities, and whether feather remains were collected and will be sent to the Smithsonian Institution for identification. In July 2002, a real-time on-line query system was incorporated to allow federal and local government agencies, airport and operator personnel, and USDA and airport wildlife biologists to access this database (which as of June 2005 contains 68,288 researched strike reports added to at a rate of approximately 500 strike reports/month) to formulate strategies to reduce the hazards wildlife present to aviation. To date (June 2005), over 15,000 on-line real-time queries were processed. In June 2004, ERAU was authorized to develop a graphical interface to this on-line query system. Current capabilities include mapping strikes (by species) on the US map, each of the contiguous 48 state maps (with AK and HI being added), and airport diagrams of the major metropolitan airports as well as the next 46 airports with the most reported strikes The latter capability depicts strikes by runway in plan as well as in elevation view. Currently under development is the ability to view time-sequenced strikes on the US map. This extensive graphical interface will give analysts the ability to view strike patterns with a wide variety of variables including species, seasons, migration patterns, etc. on US and state maps and airport diagrams.

ECOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BIRD HAZARD TO AIRCRAFT

The Canadian Wildlife Service has had twenty-five years experience with the problem caused by bird contacts with aircraft. I experienced my first bird strike, while flying as an observer on a waterfowl survey in August, 1940. Officers of the Service investigated bird problems at airports at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Cartierville, Quebec, in the late 1940's. Those incidents involving gulls and low speed piston-engined aircraft caused minor damage to the aircraft but considerable disturbance to the operators. As aircraft speeds increased and airports became more numerous and busier the problem increased in extent and complexity. By 1960 it was apparent that the problem would grow worse and that work should be directed toward reducing the number of incidents. In 1960 an electra aircraft crashed at Boston, Massachusetts, killing 61 passengers. Starlings were involved in the engine malfunction which preceded the crash. In November, 1962 a viscount aircraft was damaged by collision with two swans between Baltimore and Washington and crashed with a loss of 17 lives. Those incidents focused attention on the bird hazard problem in the United States.

Accidents by external causes in adolescents: care in sentinel urgency and emergency services in the Brazilian State Capitals-2009

Adolescents are seeking new references and experiences, which may involve attitudes of risk and exposure to accidents and violence from external causes. These events constitute a serious Public Health problem. The scope of this study was to analyze the occurrence of accidents by external causes in adolescents from 10 to 19 years of age attended at sentinel urgency and emergency services in Brazil. Data from the 2009 Surveillance System for Violence and Accidents (VIVA 2009) was analyzed in 74 emergency units in 23 state capitals and the Federal District. The findings revealed that 6,434 adolescents (89.8%) were victims of accidents and 730 (10.2 %) were victims of violence. The main causes of the accidents were falls and traffic accidents, and assaults were predominant in violence. For both accidents and violence, non-white male adolescents were predominant and the events occurred most frequently on the public highways. A marked increase was detected, with hospitalization of victims of violence between 15 and 19 years of age. Understanding the epidemiological reality of external causes among adolescents represents an important tool for health prevention and promotion policies and the culture of peace seeking to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Analysis of noise in aircraft cabins through the VHF channel

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a method to analyze the noise in aircraft cabins through the VHF Aeronautical Communication Channel, aimed at examining an environment that has the possibility of communication problems between the aircraft crew and the professionals responsible for the controls on land. Design/methodology/approach - This analysis includes equipment normally used for identification and comparison of electromagnetic noise, the cabin and the environment that are present in an airport, as well as equipment for frequency analysis and intensity of those signals. The analysis is done in a reverse way, eliminating situations that are not common in the examined environment, until the identification of the situation with the irregularity. Findings - According to the results, the implementation of the Fourier transform for noise analysis in the cabin was efficient. These results demonstrate that through this transformation, the noise sources can be identified in the environments in cases where there is much spectrum pollution. Research limitations/implications - This kind of noise analysis is important, considering the importance of having good accuracy in airport environment analysis. Originality/value - The paper presents the main trends in the future of aviation communications, and describes the new applications that aim to minimize problems with the current VHF channel.

Influence of Helmet Use in Facial Trauma and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury Victims of Motorcycle Accidents

Objective: The objective of this research was to study the influence of the use of helmet in facial trauma victims of motorcycle accidents with moderate traumatic brain injury. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the incidence of facial injuries in helmeted and nonhelmeted victims with moderate traumatic brain injury at a referral trauma hospital. Results: The sample consisted of 272 patients predominantly men (94.5%) and between 21 and 40 years old (62.9%). The majority of patients were using helmet (80.1%). The occurrence of facial fractures was most frequent for zygomatic bone (51.8%), followed by mandible (18.8%) and nasal bones (9.2%). Conclusions: Individuals in the most productive age group are most affected, which causes a great loss to financial and labor systems. It is important to take measures to alert the public regarding the severity of injuries likely to occur in motorcycle-related accidents and ways to prevent them.

An approach to aircraft seat comfort using interface pressure mapping

The objective of the present study is to propose a method to dynamically evaluate discomfort of a passenger seat by measuring the interface pressure between the occupant and the seat during the performance of the most common activities of a typical flight(1). This article reports the results of resting and reading studies performed in a simulator that represents the interior of a commercial aircraft.

Work Precariousness and Risk of Accidents in Civil Construction: A study based on the Collective Work Analysis

This paper aims to describe the construction workers' activities, as well as their perceptions about risks and workload. The study, based on the Collective Work Analysis, is part of a broader public policies project for the improvement of SIVAT (Surveillance System of Work Accidents) - in the city of Piracicaba (Southeastern Brazil). Civil construction was prioritized given the epidemiological magnitude of the occurrence of work accidents and the limited efficacy of traditional surveillance initiatives in this sector due to informal employment practices, outsourcing, high staff turnover, etc. The workers have a high level of awareness concerning the risk of accidents, but they believe that the main preventive measures hinder or even make it impossible for them to carry out the tasks. Our findings question the efficacy of traditional training for adherence to safety practices, thus highlighting the need for a transformative pedagogy for preventive practices and the health promotion of workers.

Musculoskeletal reported symptoms among aircraft assembly workers: a multifactorial approach

The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with reported work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among aircraft assembly workers. Population consisted of 552 (491 men/61 women) workers who performed tasks related to the work of aircraft assembly. Participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire, including socio-demographic information, habits/lifestyles, working conditions, and work organization. Workers also answered the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to obtain data on musculoskeletal symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze factors associated with musculoskeletal reported symptoms. Results showed that body regions with the highest prevalence of reported musculoskeletal symptoms were similar when referred the past twelve months and the past seven days. Significant factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms included variables related to conflicts at work, sleep problems, mental fatigue, and lack of time for personal care and recovery. Working time in the industry was associated only with reports for the last seven days and regular physical activity off-work seems to be a positive factor in preventing musculoskeletal symptoms for the past twelve months. The results highlight the multi-factorial nature of the problem. Actions to prevent musculoskeletal diseases at the aircraft assembly work should consider multiple interventions that would promote better recovery between work shifts.

Forum: social network for the surveillance and prevention of workplace accidents

In 2008, academic researchers and public service officials created a university extension studies platform based on online and on-site meetings denominated "Work-Related Accidents Forum: Analysis, Prevention, and Other Relevant Aspects. Its aim was to help public agents and social partners to propagate a systemic approach that would be helpful in the surveillance and prevention of work-related accidents. This article describes and analyses such a platform. Online access is free and structured to: support dissemination of updated concepts; support on-site meetings and capacity to build educational activities; and keep a permanent space for debate among the registered participants. The desired result is the propagation of a social-technical-systemic view of work-related accidents that replaces the current traditional view that emphasizes human error and results in blaming the victims. The Forum uses an educational approach known as permanent health education, which is based on the experience and needs of workers and encourages debate among participants. The forum adopts a problematizing pedagogy that starts from the requirements and experiences of the social actors and stimulates support and discussions among them in line with an ongoing health educational approach. The current challenge is to turn the platform into a social networking website in order to broaden its links with society.

Design of virtual aircraft multipurpose platform

This report elaborates on the master degree thesis developed by the candidate within the company Superjet International. The performed activity focuses on the study and design of VAMP (Virtual Aircraft Multipurpose Platform). VAMP is a new interactive platform, not necessarily limited to the Aeronautical sector, aimed to analyse technical failures, identify risk and recommend the most appropriate corrective actions for maintenance cost reduction, taking into account reliability, availability, maintainability and safety.

Development and application of a GC system for NMHC analyses of air samples from the CARIBIC aircraft project

The subject of this thesis is the development of a Gaschromatography (GC) system for non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and measurement of samples within the project CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container, www.caribic-atmospheric.com). Air samples collected at cruising altitude from the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere contain hydrocarbons at low levels (ppt range), which imposes substantial demands on detection limits. Full automation enabled to maintain constant conditions during the sample processing and analyses. Additionally, automation allows overnight operation thus saving time. A gas chromatography using flame ionization detection (FID) together with the dual column approach enables simultaneous detection with almost equal carbon atom response for all hydrocarbons except for ethyne. The first part of this thesis presents the technical descriptions of individual parts of the analytical system. Apart from the sample treatment and calibration procedures, the sample collector is described. The second part deals with analytical performance of the GC system by discussing tests that had been made. Finally, results for measurement flight are assessed in terms of quality of the data and two flights are discussed in detail. Analytical performance is characterized using detection limits for each compound, using uncertainties for each compound, using tests of calibration mixture conditioning and carbon dioxide trap to find out their influence on analyses, and finally by comparing the responses of calibrated substances during period when analyses of the flights were made. Comparison of both systems shows good agreement. However, because of insufficient capacity of the CO2 trap the signal of one column was suppressed due to breakthroughed carbon dioxide so much that its results appeared to be unreliable. Plausibility tests for the internal consistency of the given data sets are based on common patterns exhibited by tropospheric NMHCs. All tests show that samples from the first flights do not comply with the expected pattern. Additionally, detected alkene artefacts suggest potential problems with storing or contamination within all measurement flights. Two last flights # 130-133 and # 166-169 comply with the tests therefore their detailed analysis is made. Samples were analyzed in terms of their origin (troposphere vs. stratosphere, backward trajectories), their aging (NMHCs ratios) and detected plumes were compared to chemical signatures of Asian outflows. In the last chapter a future development of the presented system with focus on separation is drawn. An extensive appendix documents all important aspects of the dissertation from theoretical introduction through illustration of sample treatment to overview diagrams for the measured flights.