About the Course

This five-day program is a combination of the curriculum and hands-on activities of the Airport Wildlife Management Techniques and Airport Wildlife Manager's Courses. The course is intended for individuals who are responsible for creating and/or implementing an airport's Wildlife Hazard Management Plan. With a focus on the challenges faced by a prospective airport wildlife program manager or coordinator, it is intended to enhance the knowledge and skill sets needed to create a successful wildlife hazard management program. The wildlife issues that will be covered are a serious safety concern for airport operators, airlines, pilots and the overall aviation community.

The course has been developed using scenario-based learning models and incorporates a teambuilding approach that challenges the students to meet the objectives of the program in a real world environment. Airport and wildlife experts will illustrate how wildlife hazard management strategies are developed and how effective techniques can be implemented for the best results. This "hands-on" course, through both training in the classroom and on the airfield, emphasizes the practical application of tools and techniques to assist airports in managing wildlife and employing a practical wildlife hazard management program. Students of this course will work with their peers to understand complex problems and develop creative, alternative solutions at an operational airport facing real wildlife management challenges.

The curriculum will focus on:

  • wildlife capture tools
  • firearms and pyrotechnics safety and operations
  • technology updates
  • new wildlife control and mitigation innovations
  • wildlife identification
  • current federal regulations
  • wildlife hazard assessments and management plans

Attendees will be provided with the latest information to assist their airports in effective implementation of their wildlife hazard management plans. They will also be able to see how techniques are applied and technology is deployed in the field and then used to develop an airport Wildlife Hazard Management Plan.

Using an existing airport wildlife hazard assessment, students will work with their teams to conduct a site survey on the airport, analyze survey data and make recommendations important to that assessment. The teams then will be required to develop a wildlife hazard management plan based on the completed wildlife hazard assessment as well as knowledge and skills learned in the first two days of the course. Students who previously have attended one of the Airport Wildlife Management Techniques Courses will find the knowledge gained in that course invaluable when working to develop their wildlife hazard management plan. As the capstone of the course, teams will be required to make presentations to defend their Wildlife Hazard Management Plan and training program to the course training staff.

This course will meet the Part 139 annual training requirements for airport personnel involved in implementing FAA approved Wildlife Hazard Management Plans as defined by AC 150-5200-36 Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist Conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Training Curriculums for Airport Personnel Involved in Controlling Wildlife Hazards on Airports. This course also meets the FAA's requirement for refresher training for Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologists.