A breath-holding pigeon strike at the Beijing Capital International Airport by 20:30 on Monday had scared a lot. Luckily, the incident did not make any big impact to the passengers on night flights that day, the Beijing Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

 

On Monday night, planes taking-off or landing encountered a pigeon flock at in the airport. However, no damage had been made as the planes were flying at low speed and low height by that time.

 

The remains of nine pigeons were found by airport workers on the west runway. Those pigeons, each with a ring on the foot, were identified as the domestic pigeon kept by a villager in Huoshenying village, less than three kilometers from the west runway of the airport.

 

As learned from relevant sources, there are many pigeons nesting near the airport, raised by pigeon fanciers from surrounding villages. The domestic pigeons there are seen as the primary threat to the airplanes of the airport.

 

Over 100 birds fly over the flight area of the airport every day - a phenomenon which has posed a great threat to flight security. To cope with this problem, the airport has set up huge nets at two ends and around the runway, to warn off birds. It has also invested a lot in advanced facilities, with a built-in sound system capable of sending out terrifying sounds to drive birds away.

 

The airport also calls on concerned authorities to take prompt action and ban people from keeping domestic pigeon within the airfield clearance zone, so as to reduce the possible damage caused by such bird strikes in future.

 

(CRIENGLISH.com June 20, 2007)