It’s all about the pigs!
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is testing water-filled bins at Newark Liberty International Airport in an effort to protect planes from birds, because without them, birds strike the planes an average of 25 times a year, the New York Post reported.
Eight water-filled containers have been placed at the north end of the passenger terminal in an effort to lure bird droppings into a transparent cube for the platform’s wildlife viewing area.
“If it’s out there, it’s out there,” pilot Mike Rastino told the New York Post. “You’d be surprised how many birds come into a plane, and how many they can get in.”
The Port Authority recently tested a similar system at LaGuardia Airport in June and it’s still working out the kinks, the New York Post reported.
So far, pilots have been cautious about trying the system, but some expect it will make an impact when more time passes, according to the New York Post.
“You’ve got to be careful with it,” pilot Patrick Carter told the New York Post. “It seems to be getting a lot less like it was.”
“If you want to slow a bird down enough to get a pilot in the right spot, it’s tough,” Carter added.
So far, the bird testing has had a minimal impact on bird strikes, and the system has only been deployed one or two days per week since May.