CAA decides to hire bird shooters

RAWALPINDI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has decided to get the services of hired guns to kill the birds which collide with airplanes and cause accidents.

Bird hits are a serious problem in the aviation industry. Authorities warn people not to throw garbage in open near airports, which attracts scavenger birds and these, in turn, run into aircraft causing serious damage to engine turbines and even the body.

CAA will deploy these professionals at Islamabad International Airport (IIA) and Lahore International Airport (LIA) and also procure suitable shotguns. According to CAA officials, funds have already been allocated for this purpose. Regarding their duty-timings, the CAA officials said that the professional shooters would work from 7am until dusk, and would shoot all birds intruding the landing and take-off zones on runways of both airports. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2020.