According to a recent electronic media news on Aug 26, 2019. PIA flight PK-758 coming from London to Lahore, the Boeing 777 aircraft’s engine number one received considerable damage due to the bird hit. However, the pilot of the aircraft acted proficiently & successfully landed at the airport. Subsequently, the aircraft was grounded & was repaired by the team of engineers for its next destination.

It should be a wake up call for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the incidents of bird strikes have been consistently increasing at the airports across the country. It has been learnt that in few months, more than 34 planes of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) were affected by bird strikes which caused millions of rupees loss to the already cash-starved national flag carrier. Reportedly out of 34 planes, eight were severely damaged. Most incidents of bird strikes were reported at Karachi and Lahore airports, wherein 15 and 11 PIA planes were affected, respectively. Moreover, bird hit cases have also been reported from other cities as well. Such incidents have badly disturbed flight schedules. It has also been learnt that several Lahore-bound flights were diverted to land in different cities as a huge flock of birds was hovering over Allama Iqbal International Airport.

In this regard, the CAA must take an excellent example of the PAF (Pakistan Air Force) where despite of very heavy flying schedule all across the country & presence of many of PAF’s airfields now in the sprawling cities of the country, hardly any bird-hit scenario occurs. The PAF authorities around its airfields ensure that there is no or minimum garbage around which is one of the primary reasons for the presence of birds which subsequently results in the bird hits. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that the CAA must approach the PAF & seek their professional advice in this matter. The bird hit should not be taken lightly as it may end up into a disaster & a nightmare for the travelers as well as for any airline.

M. ASIF,

Karachi.