Brienne German (301) 734-7253
Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623
USDA SIGNS AVIATION SAFETY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2006--Wildlife Services, a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) to improve the ability to reduce wildlife hazards at airports nationwide.
In 2005, WS provided assistance at 667 U.S. and 7 foreign airports to resolve wildlife hazards and prevent potentially deadly and costly wildlife collisions with aircraft.
In the MOU, NASAO recognizes the national leadership and professional expertise of WS in resolving wildlife-human conflicts and encourages state aviation offices to seek assistance from WS regarding wildlife hazards at airports. NASAO represents the top officials in the aviation departments of all 50 U.S. states and various territories and provides a national forum to facilitate uniformity of airport regulations, including safety measures.
Collisions between aircraft and wildlife at airports disrupt travel and compromise air safety, risking lives in the air and on the ground. Wildlife strikes cause U.S. civil aviation in excess of $500 million every year. With the number of commercial airline departures approaching 30 million each year in the United States, aircraft collisions with wildlife are happening more often. Birds account for roughly 97 percent of all aircraft collisions with wildlife; the remainder is attributed to large mammals.
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