Ibom airport pioneers anti-bird strike technology

TO check the increasing menace of bird strike and other wild life hazards in the airspace, management of Akwa Ibom International Airport, Uyo has launched an anti-bird and wild life system.According to a statement signed by the head of public affairs Ibom Airport Development Company , Mr Mmek - Abasi Akpabio explained that the technology which is known as Cordless Land Air Wild Life System (CLAWS) was inaugurated last weekend by the Airport Implementation committee(AIC) just as the airport witnessed the commencement of the year 2011 airlift of Christian Pilgrims direct to Tel-aviv in IsrealThe device,according to experts, is capable of reducing bird- strike and other wildlife hazards incidents by at least 80 per cent. The representative of Avian systems corporation of Kentucky, United States of America, Mr Ankit Chudgar disclosed that the CLAWS technology as created by them has 'only been installed in Akwa Ibom International Airport in the whole of Africa'.He revealed that the device was first installed by the stretch of the run way and that it will always be mobilized every fifteen minutes before take offs and landings of aircraft in the airport in order to scare away any bird or wildlife intrusion.Formally receiving the installer equipment in the airport, the Chairman of AIC, Air Cdre Idongesit Nkanga rtd expressed delight that the Akwa Ibom Airport has pioneered the technology on the continent because 'the issue of bird- strike and wild life hazard has almost become a nightmare in the global aviation industry, Ibom airport inclusive'.He stressed that the airport management would always remain at the forefront in the promotion of safety and global best practices.Nkanga used the opportunity to thank the state Government for its commitment to the development of the airport to its present enviable standard.Meanwhile, the first batch of three hundred Christian Pilgrims has departed the airport direct to Jerusalem in an Atlas jet 300Air bus. A total of one Thousand Five Hundred Pilgrims from Akwa Ibom and Cross River States will be airlifted from the airport on direct flights to the holy land.An eleven-man high powered Federal Government delegation led by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritshejafor was in Uyo on Friday to kick- start the exercise. The team also had some Senators, Supreme Court Justices, Federal Ministers and the leadership alongside some members of the Nigerian Christians Pilgrims Commission(NCPC) has since departed Uyo back to Abuja.
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