An image from a brochure taken and published on July 27, 2020 by Dassault Aviation shows an Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft taking off from Merignac air base in southern France. (AFP)
The IAF has filed a complaint with the local administration highlighting the problem and mentioning the increase in bird activity due to the pile of garbage that can cause damage to Rafale fighter jets.
News18.com
Last update: September 2, 2020 7:59 pm IST
Edited by: Arjit garg
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Almost a year ago, a couple of bird strikes at Ambala air base forced the Indian Air Force to contact local authorities to stop the breeding of pigeons in nearby houses. One of these birds crashed into the engine of an IAF Jaguar fighter jet and the pilot threw the aircraft’s fuel tanks.
About 10 kg of practice bombs were placed on the plane, authorities said. Praising the quick reaction, the IAF posted a 48-second video of the birds colliding and falling from the fuel tanks as soon as the pilot took off from the air force station.
A year later, the IAF contacted authorities again, this time complaining about the garbage near the IAF station. The pile of rubbish is drawing more bird activity onto the airbase, putting both the lives of the pilot and the aircraft in danger and this has not gone well with the Director General of Inspection and Safety of the Indian Air Force.
#Saving lives: On the morning of June 27-19, an IAF Jaguar aircraft loaded with two additional fuel depot tanks and Carrier Bomb Light Stores
(CBLS) took off from AFS Ambala for a training
mission. Immediately after takeoff, the aircraft encountered a flock of
According to a report, DG I&S Air Marshal Manavendra Singh has written a letter to Keshni Anand Arora, Haryana’s Chief Secretary, calling for the garbage crisis near the IAF station where he is stationed to be resolved. Rafale.
The letter says that “the safety and security of the Rafale aircraft installed at Ambala on July 29 is the primary focus of the IAF.”
The letter also indicates that the station has a high concentration of birds that can cause serious damage to fighter jets, most particularly the billionaire Dassault made Rafale, which was recently incorporated into the IAF at said air base.
It also states that the Air Officer in command of the Ambala Air Force Station met with the Joint Commissioner and the Additional Municipal Commissioner of Ambala through the meetings of the Aerodrome Environmental Management Committee held on January 24, 2019, the July 10, 2019 and January 24, 2020 to recommend actions and reduce the stack.
The IAF also recommended the immediate implementation of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) scheme that will reduce the activity of large birds such as black kites in the 10 km airfield area around the Ambala airfield.
Last year, the IAF wrote a letter to the local municipal body regarding the pigeon problem in the area. IAF has suggested that some locals are raising pigeons in their houses near the base. A complaint was filed highlighting that the pigeons do not seem to fear the loud noise of the aircraft.
