BASH Program saves lives, money

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Javier Cruz
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The F-22 Raptor is arguably the most powerful thing in the skies above Tyndall, but that can change instantly with an unlucky bird strike.

That's where the USAF Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program at Kirkland AFB, NM takes center stage.

"The USAF Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard Team's goal is the preservation of war fighting capabilities through the reduction of wildlife hazards to aircraft operations. We are the Air Force's point-of-contact for worldwide on-site technical assistance. We are also responsible for developing research programs to reduce bird strike potential around airfields and during low-level flight operations. The team manages the largest bird strike database. The database is often used for conducting detailed statistical analysis for aircraft component design and environmental assessments," the Air Force Safety Center's official website said.

"The Tyndall BASH team works continually to make the airfield and surrounding area as safe as possible for the diverse flying activities that occur daily," said Michael Simons, 325th Fighter Wing Flight Safety manager.

Tyndall has 143 million reasons to be actively involved in protecting these vital assets as a single F-22 costs $143 million to tax payers. Using the base as an example with a population of 31 F-22 Raptors totals approximately $4 billion worth of assets to protect from preventable damage caused by local wildlife. Tyndall expects to add an additional F-22 Fighter Squadron in 2014 bringing both increased war fighting capabilities and potential for accidents involving wildlife.

"Tyndall pilots and transient aircrew have access to the Avian Hazard Advisory System and the Bird Avoidance Model, which are web-based products dedicated to raising the BASH awareness of pilots, Mr. Simons said. These products use historical and real-time data to let aviators know the bird threat for particular locations. Mobile or fixed bird avoidance radar systems are not utilized at Tyndall primarily due to our location not being in any major migratory flyways and most of our training is performed well offshore at higher altitudes," said Mr. Simons.

Since 1995, there have been more than 69,000 wildlife-aircraft strikes recorded by the U.S. Air Force that killed 23 aviators, destroyed 12 aircraft and caused more than $400 million dollars worth of equipment damage, according to the United States Avian Hazard Advisory System official website.

"Every bird strike is different, and sometimes strikes result in no damage to the aircraft although varying degrees of damage have occurred depending on the speed of the aircraft and the size or number of birds involved. Several years ago, a single European Starling and a single Killdeer were ingested into F-22 engines during local flying. Although these birds are quite small, both of these mishaps resulted in damage costs of more than $400,000," Mr. Simons said.

The 325th Fighter Wing BASH program utilizes a variety of tools and personnel such as resident United States Department of Agriculture/Wildlife Service Biologist, Jared Kwitowski, to help balance the presence of wildlife on the flight line and surrounding wildlife habitats.

"My purpose as the BASH manager is to perform bird and wildlife hazard mitigation said Mr. Kwitowski. Primarily, I make habitat modification recommendations to wing leadership as well as performing active dispersal and relocation of birds on the airfield. I also train airfield management operations personnel in bird and wildlife identification, dispersal activities and communication with the control tower to make the airfield safer for our pilots."

The Tyndall Flight Safety office and BASH program use a teamwork approach to keep the runways safe for Tyndall Raptors and any aircraft that fly in or out.