A recent report into Australian aviation wildlife strikes between 2008 and 2017 indicates that aircraft striking wildlife, particularly birds, continues to be the most common aviation occurrence reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
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Between 2008 and 2017, there were 16,626 confirmed bird strikes reported to the ATSB and of that total, 32 was reported at the Bathurst Regional Airport.
Individual cases in Bathurst vary from one animal being struck, to multiple.
Birds struck include galahs, magpies, peewees and an wedge-tail eagle.
However, Bathurst Regional Airport has procedures in place to deter all types of wildlife.
"The airport has deterrents in place to greatly reduce the presence of birds and other wildlife at the airport," Bathurst mayor Graeme Hanger.
"Some of these measures include mobilising equipment that produce noise, and mowing grass to reduce the habitat."
Cr Hanger explained that fencing has also effected the strike rate of wildlife.
"Council has also upgraded the fencing surrounding the airport which has significantly reduced the wildlife entering the airport grounds," he said.
"There are occurrences of bird strikes mainly around spring time, although incidents are minor."
Overall, despite being a high frequency occurrence, bird strikes rarely result in aircraft damage or injuries and of the more than 16,000 recorded bird strikes, approximately 0.05 per cent of those strikes resulted in minor injuries to pilots or passengers.
Domestic high capacity aircraft were those most often involved in bird strikes, and the bird strike rate per aircraft movement for these aircraft was significantly higher than all other categories.
The number of bird strikes involving a bird ingested into an engine in high capacity air transport operations has risen in recent years with about one in ten bird strikes for turbofan aircraft involving a bird ingested into an engine.
For a full list of statistics, visit www.atsb.gov.au.