Aeronautics Student Publications
Annual Wildlife Strikes per Operation by Runway Configuration in the Southern U.S. from 2015 to 2024
Document Type
Poster
Publication Title
Northrop Grumman Engineering & Science Student Design Showcase
Abstract
Research on wildlife strikes is vital to the understanding of wildlife behavior at airports. This study focused on reported wildlife strikes per operation by differing runway configurations, parallel and intersecting, in 16 southern states from 2015 to 2024. Parallel runway configurations experienced more reported wildlife strikes per operation than intersecting runway configurations, consistent with previous research. Wildlife strikes that occur at critical phases of flight bring detrimental effects to aviation economies and wildlife habitats. Wildlife Hazard Management Programs (WHMP) in effect at airports do show success, but with limited range. The study used an ex post facto design due to the between-subjects design, and the data was pre-collected by FAA databases. Future research should examine the relationship between parallel runway configurations and wildlife strikes in various regions at various airport sizes. Moreover, future research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Wildlife Hazard Management Programs in use, and the runway configuration the airport possesses.
Publication Date
Spring 4-24-2026
Recommended Citation
Mann, Cam; Ebanks, Arie; Sharm, Vivek; and Wheeler, Brooke, "Annual Wildlife Strikes per Operation by Runway Configuration in the Southern U.S. from 2015 to 2024" (2026). Aeronautics Student Publications. 39.
https://repository.fit.edu/aero_student/39