Shaun Cousins (Airport Safety Officer) clearing animals, while Martin Diviani and Joe the Labrador keep the birds away.
Pic: Scott Fletcher
A COMMERCIAL airliner had to delay its take-off as an echidna waddled past the runway and a turtle turned up in the middle of Gold Coast Airport's taxiway but miraculously avoided being squashed.
These two quirky incidents illustrate why Gold Coast Airport runs a 24/7 operation to keep the airspace and runways clear of animals.
Bird strikes are the main concern and keeping the airspace and airfield free of avian missiles is the job of wonder dog Joe and his team.
But threats from rabbits, hares, foxes, snakes, goannas and even the odd turtle and echidna must also be considered.
Martin Ziviani, of Avisure, keeps the airspace clear of birds with the help of dispersal dog Joe, pyrotechnics, stock whips, sirens and cap guns.
"Bird strikes are one of the highest risks to planes," said Mr Ziviani.
"There are probably minor bird strikes on a weekly basis. Serious strikes are a rare event but can be catastrophic when power to all engines is lost.
"We've found a turtle on the runway, I've relocated an echidna from the taxi-way and we get foxes, rabbits, hares and goannas in the airfield.
"There are times when an echidna will dig its way to where it wants to be.
"Quite often you'll hear sirens out there or us firing caps to shoo away the birds ... we are trying to reduce the attractiveness of the airport as a habitat."
Last year Gold Coast Airport reported 130 minor incidents, including bird strikes, to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Mr Ziviani said he worked closely with the air traffic control tower to inform pilots of any potential animal hazards in the area.
Sometimes it will cause a plane to delay take-off or landing.
"If there's a chance of one in a million of something happening, then that's a risk to us," said a Gold Coast Airport spokesman.
"Our safety officers are out there inspecting the runways 24/7. They are the eyes and ears for the tower."
The airport even uses DNA testing to identify the species of bird involved in a strike if the carcass is not found.
The last serious bird strike at Gold Coast Airport happened about eight years ago when a commercial airliner received significant engine damage when it hit an ibis. It landed safely.
http://www.goldcoast.com.au
These two quirky incidents illustrate why Gold Coast Airport runs a 24/7 operation to keep the airspace and runways clear of animals.
Bird strikes are the main concern and keeping the airspace and airfield free of avian missiles is the job of wonder dog Joe and his team.
But threats from rabbits, hares, foxes, snakes, goannas and even the odd turtle and echidna must also be considered.
Martin Ziviani, of Avisure, keeps the airspace clear of birds with the help of dispersal dog Joe, pyrotechnics, stock whips, sirens and cap guns.
"Bird strikes are one of the highest risks to planes," said Mr Ziviani.
"There are probably minor bird strikes on a weekly basis. Serious strikes are a rare event but can be catastrophic when power to all engines is lost.
"We've found a turtle on the runway, I've relocated an echidna from the taxi-way and we get foxes, rabbits, hares and goannas in the airfield.
"There are times when an echidna will dig its way to where it wants to be.
"Quite often you'll hear sirens out there or us firing caps to shoo away the birds ... we are trying to reduce the attractiveness of the airport as a habitat."
Last year Gold Coast Airport reported 130 minor incidents, including bird strikes, to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Mr Ziviani said he worked closely with the air traffic control tower to inform pilots of any potential animal hazards in the area.
Sometimes it will cause a plane to delay take-off or landing.
"If there's a chance of one in a million of something happening, then that's a risk to us," said a Gold Coast Airport spokesman.
"Our safety officers are out there inspecting the runways 24/7. They are the eyes and ears for the tower."
The airport even uses DNA testing to identify the species of bird involved in a strike if the carcass is not found.
The last serious bird strike at Gold Coast Airport happened about eight years ago when a commercial airliner received significant engine damage when it hit an ibis. It landed safely.
http://www.goldcoast.com.au
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