BASH program keeps skies clear

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Armando A. Schwier-Morales
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Approximately 40,000 geese call the Wichita/McConnell-area their home during the winter months, and thousands of other birds cross the skies while migrating south.

With the increased in birds comes an increased chance for aircraft birdstrikes.

Fortunately, safety officials here operate a Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard program which provides McConnell with the humane "flack" to keep the birds at bay.

McConnell's flightline is along one of three superhighways birds use to migrate south, with the other two highways paralleling down the coastlines of the U.S.

"Bird strikes are a very real and significant hazard to our daily operations at McConnell," said Col. Ron Langford, 22nd Operations Group commander.

In 2009, approximately 4,700 birdstrikes were reported to the Air Force safety center.

"One only has to think back to January 2009 when a U.S. Airways jet hit a flock of birds and was forced to land in the Hudson River," said Colonel Langford.

McConnell has taken a proactive approach to minimize the hazard associated with migratory birds.

"The BASH program's goal is to keep the birds from crossing the airfield during the day because the planes are most vulnerable during takeoff and landing," said Lauren Caister, 22nd Air Refueling Wing flight safety base wildlife manager and animal behavior expert.

However, the BASH program is much more than humanely keeping away birds. According to Ms. Caister, it's a total force program that helps mitigate the risk of bird strikes on McConnell's KC-135 Stratotankers.

According to the McConnell BASH plan, Airman cut the airfield grass to a specific height, drain puddles that form overnight and maintain the fence lines. This helps prevents animals from forging on the airfield.

Along with the preventative maintenance, the base has enlisted a proactive measure, a border collie helps maintain a bird-free "bubble" that extends in a five-mile radius beyond McConnell's borders. This bubble was created by safety officials and local landowners that allow Vasi on their land.

To do this, base safety officials use a border collie "Vasi" to chase birds off properties surrounding the base, with the permission of the landowners, Ms. Caister and Vasi visit the properties to manage the birds.

Vasi imitates a predator in every way with the exception of harming the birds. As a result, the birds learn that the property is not safe for them, said Ms. Caister.

"Without Vasi and Lauren moving the flocks of migrating geese away from McConnell, a similar catastrophe [to the U.S. Airways incident] is very possible here," said Colonel Langford.

In addition to working in the surrounding community, Vasi and Ms. Caister work on McConnell to chase away migratory birds and other fowl that forage on base. During the early days of the BASH program, Cattle Egrets, a small bird that resembles a heron, would follow lawn mowers and forage near the airfield.

"Within six months of using Vasi on the airfield, they have stopped following mowers and don't forage here anymore," said Mrs. Caister. "So there is a long-term affect on the birds."

According to Ms. Caister, the program must be maintained because overtime birds that have not been exposed to Vasi will arrive.

As the day closes, Vasi heads in for rest but so do the birds. Though tomorrow will bring thousands of birds, McConnell's BASH program will continue to take flight.