Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu yesterday said the authority will hold a meeting with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, over the current bird strike at the nation’s Airports.
The meeting becomes urgent, according to the DG, because of the two bird strikes that occurred barely 24 hours interval at two airports in the country.
The first one involved Aero Contractors aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt on Monday. The second bird strike occurred later yesterday, Tuesday, at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Max Air aircraft with Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano and 139 other passengers aboard was struck by birds on take-off and the pilot had to make an air return.
According to reports, the Max Air aircraft, a Boeing 737 aircraft with the registration number: 5N: BBM had departed Kano for Abuja airport but made an air return barely nine minutes later when three engine blades were attacked by birds on take-off at the airport.
The attack was said to have caused a big bang on the aircraft and brought agitations to the aboard passengers who were unsure of the kind of attack the aeroplane suffered.
The pilot-in-command later informed the passengers about the nature of the incident and returned to the base to disembark the passengers. While confirming the meeting and the two bird strike incidences, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the Director-General, NCAA, said that the incident was similar to the one that happened on Monday in Port Harcourt to one of Aero Contractors aircraft.
He also explained that NCAA had immediately called for a meeting with the management of FAAN) and NAMA ” to deliberate on how such occurrence could be curbed in the future as bird strike could cause grave damage to aircraft.”
Captain Nuhu said: ” We are meeting with FAAN and NAMA on this issue of bird strikes at our airports “.
