Man Arrested for Feeding Pigeons Near Bob Hope Airport
Aug 22, 2011, 12:55 pm
#1
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Man Arrested for Feeding Pigeons Near Bob Hope Airport
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,1666029.story
Seems like the perfect terrorist plot. Buy a small industrial building near an airport and begin recruiting pigeons for your attack. Bird seed and stale bread will be the next items banned from the airport.
Seriously, does seem like this guy is approaching animal hoarder status for wanting tons of pigeon poop on his property, and ignoring perfectly reasonable safety concerns.
On Friday, after two court citations and a bench warrant for feeding the pigeons, Burbank police arrested Douglas at his business on Hollywood Way and Tulare Avenue.
Airport police Cmdr. Allen Schmitt said a plane strikes a bird at the airport once every two months on average. But the rate of strikes has increased recently, with five incidents in July alone, he added.
"Most of those were multiple — 10 to 20 to 30 birds at once," Schmitt said. "Now it's becoming extraordinarily dangerous."
Airport police Cmdr. Allen Schmitt said a plane strikes a bird at the airport once every two months on average. But the rate of strikes has increased recently, with five incidents in July alone, he added.
"Most of those were multiple — 10 to 20 to 30 birds at once," Schmitt said. "Now it's becoming extraordinarily dangerous."
Seriously, does seem like this guy is approaching animal hoarder status for wanting tons of pigeon poop on his property, and ignoring perfectly reasonable safety concerns.
Aug 22, 2011, 1:16 pm
#2
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Wouldn't it be easier for terrorists just to train pigeons to fly into airplane engines instead?
Heck, they could even outfit them with bombs - then planes would have no chance. The perfect terror plot!
Heck, they could even outfit them with bombs - then planes would have no chance. The perfect terror plot!
Aug 22, 2011, 1:31 pm
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Why he can't go near the pigeons. He can't feed the birds at all. He would be banned from the airport property. It could be very extremely dangerous out there. The birds will strikes the engines. They could be real serious trouble from FAA & the pilots, too. Just stay away from the pigeons.
Aug 22, 2011, 5:11 pm
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Don't give Big Sis any ideas. After declaring that well dressed white people are the most likely terrorist she might launch an all out war against anything with feathers. Fortunately the birds are probably smarter than she is.
Aug 22, 2011, 11:17 pm
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I imagine Capt Sullenberger and everyone else that was on board US1549 would agree.
I did not read the article but if this guy had been given multiple warnings as some have said, then I have no sympathy for him, I hope the fine is a heavy one.
I did not read the article but if this guy had been given multiple warnings as some have said, then I have no sympathy for him, I hope the fine is a heavy one.
Aug 22, 2011, 11:48 pm
#9
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Right. This is not a joke! He could be very serious trouble from the airport police.
You got that right!! They cannot allowed to feeding the birds. Because it will very extremely dangerous out there. Just stay away from the birds. Do not go near the pigeons. He have to find someplace else and not at airport property.
You got that right!! They cannot allowed to feeding the birds. Because it will very extremely dangerous out there. Just stay away from the birds. Do not go near the pigeons. He have to find someplace else and not at airport property.
Aug 23, 2011, 2:55 pm
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Which is why it's not such a hot idea to put a garbage-transfer station half a mile from the end of Runway 31 at LGA: http://www.flyertalk.com/topflyer/po...plans-terrible
Aug 24, 2011, 1:03 am
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Which is why it's not such a hot idea to put a garbage-transfer station half a mile from the end of Runway 31 at LGA: http://www.flyertalk.com/topflyer/po...plans-terrible
Safeguarding (the process of protecting airports from new developments which might cause a hazard) is more of an art than a science. This has been looked at - it's not sneaking through, and if those who are charged with identifying possible hazards are saying it will probably be ok, and they have a management and monitoring process in place to ensure that it is, then it will be.
Captain Sully has direct experience of piloting a plane following a bird strike. That doesn't make him a birdstrike prevention expert - although some pilots do get very interested and knowledgeable about this, they do tend to lack the biological background that we have to enable us to manage the wildlife to some degree.
I've done safeguarding in my time, and I don't like the US approach of defined distances and absolutes. Bird hazards aren't like that, it needs to be on a case by case consideration. But then I was working under the UK system where airport objections on safety grounds carried a huge amount of weight - we got taken to public inquiry a few times and never lost.
Aug 24, 2011, 8:25 am
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Since LGA has water on 3 sides I'm sure they are already well aware of wildlife hazards.