|
|
|
| Sunday, June 03, 2007 |
|
Bird avoidance job going to the dogs
By FlyingNews @ 7:50 AM :: 496 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation
|
 |
Officials from the 459th Air Refueling Wing hired a new member to the wing staff.
What makes this new employee different is the recent wing addition is a four-legged member who answers to the name Jackson. Nearly seven months old, Jackson is the only dog hired in the history of the 459th ARW.
Owned by Maj. Eddie Miller, the 459th ARW Safety chief and a pilot, Jackson, a black tri-Australian shepherd, comes to work once or twice a week to train.
"At this point he can run for about 15 minutes, but when he is fully grown he'll be able to run for an hour to scare the birds off the airfield," Major Miller said.
Jackson works with the active duty airfield manager as part of the base's bird avoidance strike hazard program. Jackson will aid in decreasing bird activity in conjunction with other tactics to rid the birds of flying and nesting around the airfield.
The ultimate goal is for fewer birds to get sucked into aircraft engine intakes. Not only can it potentially be hazardous for the aircraft and passengers on board, but also it can be extremely costly, as even the smallest of birds can strike an engine and destroy it. Common birds who fly and nest near the Andrews Air Force Base airfield are seagulls, buzzards, Canadian geese, and red tail hawks.
You can read the article here |
|
|
|
|
| Comments |
Currently, there are no comments. Be the first to post one!
You must be logged in to post a comment. You can login here
|
|
|