REGINA
Regina

    • Here's how YQR keeps animals from interfering with your flight's takeoff and landing

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    Everyone must contend with airport security measures before stepping foot on a plane – but even Mother Nature has to steer clear when it comes to busy runways. YQR in Regina is no exception.

    James Neale serves as the vice president of operations and infrastructure at the Regina Airport Authority.

    He gave CTV News a look at the different systems in place to give animals the encouragement they need to steer clear of dangerous aircraft - they include speakers which can broadcast different sounds.

    "We can program and have various different calls, bird calls. Birds of prey that would scare off other birds that, might go off on the field," he explained.

    Controlling wildlife is a vital safety program at the Regina International Airport – all year round.

    "We're in a migratory flight path, so we have to take that into consideration in the development of our wildlife program,” Neale added. “Airports that are near bodies of water, they have different, hazards that they need to mitigate and account for."

    According to Neale, YQR sees about 12 wildlife strikes per year, mostly birds like gulls, crows and pigeons and sometimes smaller rodents on the runway. Wildlife issues aren’t limited to just those however.

    "So, after [a] major rainstorm, quite often, we'll get a lot of worms that will come out and they can be on the hard surfaces. They can yes, it can. That's an issue for aircraft,” Neale said.

    “But the bigger issue there is that they attract birds and then those birds – they can attract larger predators and it's just a cycle of life."

    For that reason, staff conduct regular wildlife patrols around the airport’s perimeter, runways and grounds.

    Other measures include noisy flare guns, used when it seems unexpected flocks may interfere with a takeoff or landing.

    Wildlife control officers keep in contact with air traffic control, who also get warnings from pilots if they see any animals from the sky.

    "Similar to, you know, you don't want animals running across the highway in front of you," explained Rylan Grube, the chief flight instructor at the Regina Flying Club.

    Wildlife concerns are top of mind for the club, especially at this time of year, when geese are heading south for the winter.

    "On small aircraft, like the one behind me here, a goose is a pretty good-sized bird, and that will have definitely a big impact on causing damage to an airplane of this size," Grube explained.

    Having served as the club’s chief flight instructor for around six years – Grube says he’s grateful for the airport authority’s commitment to safety.

    "Same thing, like an airplane, you don't want any obstructions,” he continued. “So, our airplanes are a little bit less maneuverable, especially on the ground, to avoid obstacles like that, that might come up."

    Even standing water and grass height are considered by personnel.

    Six to 12 inches is ideal. Long enough to deter birds and short enough that coyotes can hide.

    Its all part of the behind-the-scenes operations at YQR.

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