On Thursday 21st January, a new sound system was tested to deter birds from the runways.
The initiative is from Airgest, the airport management company, which, together with the personnel of the 37th Wing, tested the LRAD-X along the runway and taxiways. This is a kind of amplifier mounted on the roof of a vehicle that emits a series of sounds at high volume, disturbing the birds and forcing them to move away. The device tested belongs to a company specialised in studies on airport birdlife and methodologies for controlling their impact on flight safety as much as possible.
Bird strike incidents can have very serious consequences for flight operations. In Trapani, to keep the phenomenon under control, an Avifauna Unit is already operational. In synergy with the Bird Control Unit under Airgest, shortly before aircraft take-offs and landings, it activates deterrence systems, using amplifiers of alarm and distress calls, which imitate the cry of a bird caught by a predator. Further tests will be carried out shortly, also in different light and climatic conditions, to thoroughly verify the effectiveness of the LRAD-X. If deemed valid, it will be put into operation, increasing activities to control and deter birds from the runways.
