scope:

FOREWORD

Previous editions of this manual focused on the control of birds on, and in the vicinity of, aerodromes. With the recognition that other forms of wildlife may also present a hazard to the operation of aircraft, the provisions on bird hazard reduction in the fifth edition of Annex 14 - Aerodromes, Volume I - Aerodrome Design and Operations were expanded to include a broader focus on wildlife strike hazard reduction. The eighth edition of Annex 14, Volume I requires that action be taken to decrease the risk to aircraft operations by adopting measures to minimize the likelihood of collisions between wildlife and aircraft. Thus, the guidance provided in the fourth edition of this manual was expanded to include both bird and other wildlife control for the purpose of reducing the hazard of bird/wildlife strikes to aircraft.

Amendment 3 to the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Aerodromes (PANS-Aerodromes, Doc 9981) will include provisions and procedures to mitigate the risk posed by wildlife to aviation safety, through the proactive management and control of wildlife at aerodromes and their vicinities. PANS-Aerodromes, Part II, Chapter 6 contains provisions on the establishment of a Wildlife Hazard Management Programme (WHMP) at aerodromes, including guidance on habitat and land use management, reporting and recording wildlife incidents, expelling and deterring wildlife, and personnel training. This fifth edition of the Airport Services Manual, Part 3 - Wildlife Hazard Management (Doc 9137) (formerly titled Wildlife Control and Reduction) contains revised guidance, consistent with the aforementioned Part II, Chapter 6 and highlights the importance of developing a WHMP specific to each aerodrome.

This document was written on the assumption that birds and other wildlife are a serious hazard to aircraft, and outlines what can and should be done to address this hazard. It is not the purpose of this document to discuss the relative importance of various hazards but to stress the importance of good organization and planning in the creation of a successful WHMP.

The primary purpose of this manual is to provide aerodrome personnel with the information necessary to develop and implement an effective wildlife control group for their aerodrome. The management structure may differ at each aerodrome, however all structure types should be in accordance with the threat. The seriousness of a wildlife hazard problem is affected by geographic location, attractiveness of the aerodrome habitat to wildlife and air traffic density.

This manual suggests organizational structures that may effectively manage wildlife hazard control. A brief history in Chapter 1 describes the evolution of the wildlife hazard and provides examples of significant wildlife strikes. This manual explains why wildlife hazards occur at an aerodrome, the roles and responsibilities of all the stakeholders involved in wildlife hazard control, and the modifications to be carried out at an aerodrome to remove the features which attract wildlife. The content of this fifth edition was reviewed by the wildlife hazard management subject matter experts from the ICAO Wildlife Hazard Management Expert Group (WHMEG), supported by Airports Council International (ACI).