ORLANDO, Fla. — The Federal Aviation Administration says bird strikes on airplanes are on the rise with nearly 350 reported in Florida so far this year alone.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
According to the data, approximately 16-percent of those bird strikes have occurred at Orlando International Airport.
Fortunately, the airport employs a team of wildlife specialists dedicated to keeping travelers safe on their flights.
Johnny Metcalf is a Wildlife Biologist and the Assistant Vice President of Airfield Operations at OIA. Metcalf says without him and his team working to keep birds away from the airport, flying could be much more dangerous.
“We’d have a lot more strikes and we’d have a lot more damage,” Metcalf said. “We’re one of the few airports in the country that has a dedicated wildlife team.”
They employ a number of different strategies …