EASA SIB No.

: 2021-07

Safety Information Bulletin

Airworthiness – Operations
SIB No.: 2021-07
Issued: 19 April 2021

Subject: Bird Strike Risk Mitigation in Rotorcraft Operations

Ref. Publications:
1. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Safety Letter Bird Strike (in German) No.2 dated
02 June 2012.
2. European General Aviation Safety Team (EGAST) Leaflet GA 6 Bird Strike dated 01 May 2013.
3. Federal Aviation Administration Rotorcraft Bird Strike Working Group Recommendations to
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) dated 02 July 2019.
4. EASA Rotorcraft Together4Safety article dated 19 April 2021.

Applicability:
National Aviation Authorities (NAAs), rotorcraft manufacturers and operators.

Description:
EASA has observed an increase of bird strikes involving civil rotorcraft, elevating the risk of serious
or fatal injuries to occupants and substantial damage to rotorcraft. Unlike military helicopter
designs, civil helicopters have very little ballistic protection and only 10% of the EU civilian
helicopter fleet have been certified with the bird strike requirement CS29.631.
Most of the EU civilian helicopter fleet is not designed to be resistant to bird strike.

Based on this observation, in 2016, EASA participated in the Rotorcraft Bird Strike Working Group
which provided recommendations to the ARAC regarding the following points:

• Bird strike protection rulemaking, policy, and guidance for normal category rotorcraft.
• Evaluation of the existing bird strike protection standards for transport category rotorcraft.
• Recommendations for enhancement of rotorcraft not certified with a bird strike requirement.

As part of the recommendations, it was requested that existing non-traditional bird strike
protection technology should be implemented and include safety procedures in operation.

The recommendations of this SIB for bird strike safety procedures in rotorcraft operation are the
result of the ARAC Bird Strike Working Group and European civil rotorcraft operators’
recommendations and best practices. The bird strike safety procedures emphasis should be on
decreasing the risk of a bird strike or mitigating the results of a collision with a bird.

At this time, the safety concern described in this SIB is not considered to be an unsafe condition
that would warrant Airworthiness Directive (AD) action under Regulation (EU) 748/2012, Part

This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

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21.A.3B, nor Safety Directive (SD) action under Regulation (EU) 965/2012, Annex II,
ARO.GEN.135(c).

Recommendation(s):
EASA recommends the following to mitigate bird strike risk:

Safety Management System

• National Bird Societies, local ornithological clubs, NAAs experts and bird control experts from
any nearby major airfields should be consulted to identify and quantify the bird threat in the
operating area. This information will include the location and probability of bird concentrations,
and migratory, nesting, feeding and roosting habits. Many of the bigger birds, which constitute
the largest threat to aircraft and crew because of a strike, prefer certain land types for their
activities. More details are given in Annex A of this SIB. NAAs and airfields should issue alert
bulletins and flight service Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), and advertise those during periods of
high bird activity and concentrations.
• Operators should identify and report known locations and probability of bird concentrations to
their local authority, who should publish that information. The location of bird concentrations
during seasonal migrations and the local bird nesting and roosting habitats should be made
known to rotorcraft operators and pilots for pre-flight planning, to minimise the potential for
bird strikes. Local recognition of these hazardous areas along with increased familiarity and
examination of the accident/incident occurrence database to which bird strikes are reported,
can provide a valuable resource for flight crews. This information should be incorporated into
alert bulletins, flight service NOTAM and other systems presently used to inform flight crews
about the hazards of bird concentrations.
• Infrastructure changes can have a significant impact on rotorcraft operations and local
operators should be kept informed of such developments. For instance, change of land use and
particularly around the introduction/removal of wetland habitats can fundamentally change
the species attracted and the associated bird strike risk. Even well-intentioned changes in land
use may have unintended consequences that increase the bird strike risk in other land areas.
• Training on bird strike prevention should remind flight crews that more than 3 out of 4 bird
strikes occur when airspeed is greater than 80 knots. Any speed reduction will reduce the
kinetic energy involved in most strikes and provide the bird with more time to avoid the
aircraft.

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) Revision:

Rotorcraft manufacturers should incorporate in the RFM Normal Procedures a paragraph
dedicated to “Operations in areas with high bird concentration” with the following information
and caution:

“Operating in areas with high bird concentration increases the likelihood of a bird strike when
airspeed increases and height above ground level (AGL) decreases.
CAUTION:
Operating below 2 500 feet AGL increases the likelihood and severity of a damaging bird strike.
Whenever practical, operations in this range of heights should be conducted with reduced
airspeeds.”

This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

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Pre-Flight Planning
• Aircrew should plan missions at the highest level practicable and at a minimum of 2 500 feet
AGL where possible, as data shows that operating rotorcraft above this height significantly
reduces the likelihood of a bird strike. Research shall show any regional or seasonal migratory
differences to this recommendation.
• Transits over areas of wetlands and inland water areas, such as lakes and ponds, should be
avoided and, if this is not possible, the 2 500 feet AGL minimum should be aimed for.
• Coastlines should be crossed at 90 degrees to give minimum exposure to bird activity which is
usually greatest on cliffs or at the waterline. Again, a minimum of 2 500 feet should be sought.
Aircrew should be attentive to birds’ cliff or ridge soaring.
• Night operations should be planned under consideration that bird activity is reduced at night,
however the heights at which they fly tend to increase.
• Operators should collect information on the feeding and roosting habits of the indigenous and
migratory birds. Many of the larger birds, for example Canada geese, like open spaces such as
airfields to feed on at dawn and dusk. Therefore, routine activities like maintenance test flight,
training and positioning flights should be planned outside of these time periods where possible.

In-Flight Procedures
If obliged to operate in areas of known bird concentration or near wooded areas, wetlands, water
surfaces and coastlines, the following mitigations should be considered:
• If operating at low level, reduce airspeed when practical.
• Increase altitude as quickly as possible and practicable, and where other flight variables allow.
• Utilise personal protective equipment consisting of a helmet and visor, at least by the crew,
when practicable.
• Use taxi and/or landing lights in a continuous mode during sunny conditions and at night, when
practical. Use 2-Hz pulsed mode LED near-full-spectrum lighting during partly cloudy conditions.
Pulsing lighting accentuates the speed and directional movement of the aircraft, thereby
increasing aircraft recognition by the bird and decreasing the likelihood of a bird strike.
Procedures and familiarisation training should be established to optimise the use of such fitted
systems.
• If a bird appears to be on an exact collision course, the pilot should carry out an avoidance
manoeuvre with an upward vector as most birds will break downwards once they recognise the
conflict in their flight path. Care should be taken not to overstress the aircraft, and a verbal
warning to other crew and passengers should be given, if possible.
• Should a bird strike be known to have occurred, or strongly suspected, it is highly
recommended that the aircraft is landed as soon as practical, and full inspection carried out
with the rotors stopped. Engineering advice should be sought prior to return to service.

Additional procedural recommendations that were issued by AOPA Germany and translated into
English by the EGAST in Leaflet GA 6 Bird strike: “A European risk with local specificities” (2013),
may be found on EASA website (see items 1 and 2 in Ref. Publications above).

Contact(s):
For further information contact the EASA Safety Information Section, Certification Directorate, E-
mail: [email protected].

This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

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Annex A

Examples of likely large bird and land development types

All birds pose a threat to aircraft. The most common hazardous birds are the following
(this list is not exhaustive):
• All wildfowl (ducks, geese and swans)
• All large waterfowl (herons, egrets, cormorants)
• Gamebirds (pheasants & partridges)
• Birds of prey
• Large waders (lapwing, curlew & golden plover)
• All gull species
• All pigeon species
• All corvid species (crow family)
• Starlings. Note these birds are not large but will be found in large flocks
which increases the likelihood of a strike and the increased damage caused
by multiple strikes.

The land development characteristics have an impact on the hazardous species,

which it may attract, as per examples below:

Development Specific Special

Type
Concerns
Landfill Feeding opportunities for
Waste Composting potentially large numbers of
Management Recycling scavenging birds, e.g. gulls,
Treatment corvids, starlings, pigeons, raptors.
Nature reserves Diversity of feeding, loafing,
Reservoirs breeding and roosting
Ponds opportunities for waterfowl,
River diversions waders & gulls, e.g. swans, geese,
Water Sewage/Water gulls, ducks, herons, egrets,
Treatment lapwing, oystercatcher, etc.

This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

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Development Specific Special

Type
Concerns
Nature reserves Feeding, roosting, breeding and
Marshland loafing for waterfowl, passerines,
Reedbeds and hirundinids, e.g. swans, geese,
Swales ducks, herons, egrets.
Wetland
Drainage schemes Gulls, wading birds, potential for
Flood alleviation large starling or swallow roosts to
Works form, e.g. reedbeds.
Managed retreat
E.g. golf courses Landscape developments risking
Open grasslands feeding, loafing, and
Watercourses breeding opportunities for
Sports Facilities
Fishing lakes different species such as Canada
Sailing clubs geese, gulls, pigeons, corvids,
starlings, herons, egrets, etc.
Housing Diverse human factors and built
Factories environment providing food and
Industrial shelter for urban species such as
Developments
Estates/Units pigeons, gulls, corvids, starlings,
Mineral extraction etc.
Green roofs
Woodland Potential feeding, nesting and
Plantations cover for species such as pigeons,
Rural Pig rearing facilities gulls, corvids, starlings, game birds,
Poultry facilities etc.
Solar farms Potential perching opportunities
Tidal barrage and feeding for raptors. Changes
Energy Energy plantations to waterfowl and passerines
distribution.

This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

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