Mon, Sep 15, 2003
Aviation Authorities In Upper Midwest Worried About Plane-Deer
Collisions
When you're driving
down a dark road and are suddenly confronted by a deer, frozen in
your headlights, chances are you'll survive but the deer won't.
Those chances are very different in an airplane.
For the first time in decades, a deer and an airplane collided
at the Muskegon County Airport (MI). The Muskegon
Chronicle reports there were no serious injuries -- apart from
those suffered by the deer. It may not be a frequent occurrence,
but it was enough to convince federal officials that the airport
needs a fence to keep out plane-pounding critters. The FAA has
ordered Muskegon County to install a ten foot high fence around the
perimeter of the airport by the end of 2004. That could cost as
much as $600,000.
County Administrator James Borushko isn't too pleased with the
mandate. "We recognize there's a concern, we want to address it and
we will," Borushko said. "But a 10-foot fence is pretty ugly. Is
this an airport or Alcatraz?"
Last month's collision involved said deer and a Skyways Airlines
flight with two crew and ten passengers on board. While the
aircraft wasn't moving very fast, the smack-down with Bambi caused
extensive damage. Now, maintenance crews have to overhaul one of
its turboprop engines and the enginemount.
"Anytime you have an accident like that, you have to tear down
the engine and rebuild it, just as a precaution," said Asst.
Airport Director Marty Piette, who doesn't think the airport
experienced a deer-related incident since the mid-1980s.
So who pays for the fence? Piette says the FAA could purchase
the barrier by using "discretionary funding," but probably won't.
Looks like this one will be on the local taxpayers' tab.
"We're not questioning the need for safety," Borushko said. "The
question is whether 10 feet is the appropriate height. We need
input from the DNR. Will 8 feet do the job and save the taxpayer
money?"
More News
Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers IFF is a not-for-profit organization started in 1944 by farmers who were also private pilots. We have members all across the United States a>[...]
From 2017 (YouTube Version): Remembrances Of An Israeli Air Force Test Pilot Early in 2016, ANN contributor Maxine Scheer traveled to Israel, where she had the opportunity to sit d>[...]
"We renegotiated what our debt restructuring is on a lot of our debts, mostly with the family. Those debts are going to be converted into equity..." Source: Excerpts from a short v>[...]
Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]
Chart Supplement US A flight information publication designed for use with appropriate IFR or VFR charts which contains data on all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports open to >[...]