Prevent bird collision accidents, all airports in Korea will install bird detection equipment

Source: Global Times

[Global Times reporter Ren Yiran] South Korea\’s Newes News Agency reported on the 6th that according to the latest aviation safety management plan released by the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation on the same day, the South Korean government will Bird monitoring equipment, including thermal imagers and radar, is required to install bird collisions, to prevent recurrence of bird collisions.

On the morning of December 29 last year, a South Korean Jeju Airliner that took off from Bangkok, Thailand collided with a bird before landing at South Korea\’s Muan Airport. Except for two crew members, all 179 people were killed, which is the worst air crash in South Korea\’s history. AFP said investigators found feathers and blood in the engine wreckage on both sides of the crashed passenger plane. Some Korean media said that the cause of the air crash is likely to be an engine system failure caused by bird impacts. At present, the cause of the accident is still under further investigation.

Reported that in order to avoid such accidents again, according to regulations, all airports in South Korea must be equipped with at least one thermal imager to monitor bird activities, and the installation of birds at all airports will be promoted in the future. Detection radar to detect the movement paths of nearby birds in advance and communicate with the crew in a timely manner to avoid accidents. It is reported that there are only 4 airports in South Korea that have equipped thermal imagers.

In addition to installing detection equipment, the South Korean government will also pass legislation to move facilities such as orchards, pig farms, food processing plants and bird reserves that are prone to attracting birds to a safe distance from the airport. As of now, there are 115 related facilities around major airports in South Korea that are prone to attracting birds, but the current laws do not yet have any relevant regulations on penalties or mandatory migration.

It is worth noting that the South Korean government will also accelerate the promotion of improved heading stations at major airports and the installation of characteristic material barrier systems (EMAS).