For years, I have seen variations of the vague notation “birds on and invof arpt” in the remarks sections of the airport data included in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD). But I have often wondered what, exactly, it means.
This A/FD notation, as well as the similar and often-heard “caution, birds in vicinity of the airport” in automatic terminal information system (ATIS) broadcasts, do not give pilots accurate information to properly evaluate the wildlife hazards that may be present, thus weakening aviation risk management.
This article will attempt to examine why such ambiguous statements are issued, present tools to more accurately evaluate bird/wildlife hazards and propose better ways for airports and pilots to manage the risks.
Remarks in the A/FD listing for a particular U.S. airport come directly from the master record for the airport that is on file with the FAA and usually maintained by the ai…
