U.S. weighs avian radar systems at airports

U.S. weighs avian radar systems at airports    The Federal Aviation Administration recently entered into a $1.7 million cooperative agreement with researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to evaluate the effectiveness of avian radars at airports.
   The effort brings together experts in wildlife biology, ornithology, radar, and system integration from government, industry and academia to evaluate the MERLIN Avian Radar System by DeTect Inc., one of several radar systems used to detect birds at and near airports.
   'This research will build upon existing efforts to create a safer flying environment for the public,' said Mike Begier, national coordinator for the USDA's wildlife services program, in a statement.
   Though it is well established that radar can detect wild birds, there is little published information concerning the accuracy and detection capabilities related to range, altitude, target size and effects of weather for avian radar systems, the USDA said.
   Since the USDA began maintaining records in 1990, more than 94,000 wildlife collisions with civil aircraft have been reported. Wildlife collisions with planes cost U.S. civil aviation $625 million and U.S. military aviation more than $100 million annually and pose a serious safety risk, the department said.