April 24, 2009

Previously classified data shows risky jump for RI

Bird strikes in Rhode Island and across the country have skyrocketed over the last nearly two decades, according to information released by the Federal Aviation Administration Friday.

Under orders by President Obama, the FAA has made the bird strike database , which records the number of reported bird strikes from airports around the country, accessible to the public.

The recordings in the database show a tremendous increase in bird strikes since the FAA started collecting information in 1990. While major airports, JFK International in New York and Sacramento International in California, topped the list for bird stike incidents, Rhode Island is not exempt from the increase.

In 1990, Rhode Island had a recording of seven bird strikes. In November of 2008, the number of bird strikes jumped to 31. Since this compilation of data began, Rhode Island airports have reported a total of 419 bird strikes.

This issue of travel safety and the push for the release of this information arose after a U.S. Airways pilot had to ditch his jet in the Hudson River in January after bird strikes destroyed both of the plane’s engines.

The FAA database can be accessed online detailing over 89,000 incidents since 1990.