|
'Birdman'
visits range
Salina, Kan., (August 5, 2009) - The Discovery Channel Magazine sent a
photographer to the Salina Airport, Wednesday to follow Dr. Russell P.
DeFusco as he visited the Smoky Hill Weapons Range to help the Air National
Guard evaluate and update their bird aircraft strike hazard program.
DeFusco is the vice president of BASH Incorporated. The corporation
specializes in Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard abatement for civil and military
flight safety.
"We're under contract to visit all the Guard units with flying
missions," said the "Birdman." "There are 88
flying units plus four combat readiness training centers and a dozen or so
ranges. I've done more than 95 different visits so far. Today
we're going to do an aerial survey of the range."
One of the methods of keeping birds out of the path of aircraft using the
range is to ensure the land around the facility is more attractive to the
animals than the range itself.
"The Guard already has an excellent BASH plan and program," he
said. "The range is very similar to the surrounding
habitat. We didn't see anything out of the ordinary that would make
the range more attractive to wildlife than the surrounding
areas."
The "Birdman" will have visited more than
100 Guard units when he finishes his tour.
|
