Bird avoidance job going to the dogs Published June 1, 2007 By Master Sgt. Shayne Sewell 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AFPN) -- Officials from the 459th Air Refueling Wing hired a new member to the wing staff. What makes this new employee different is the recent wing addition is a four-legged member who answers to the name Jackson. Nearly seven months old, Jackson is the only dog hired in the history of the 459th ARW. Owned by Maj. Eddie Miller, the 459th ARW Safety chief and a pilot, Jackson, a black tri-Australian shepherd, comes to work once or twice a week to train. "At this point he can run for about 15 minutes, but when he is fully grown he'll be able to run for an hour to scare the birds off the airfield," Major Miller said. Jackson works with the active duty airfield manager as part of the base's bird avoidance strike hazard program. Jackson will aid in decreasing bird activity in conjunction with other tactics to rid the birds of flying and nesting around the airfield. The ultimate goal is for fewer birds to get sucked into aircraft engine intakes. Not only can it potentially be hazardous for the aircraft and passengers on board, but also it can be extremely costly, as even the smallest of birds can strike an engine and destroy it. Common birds who fly and nest near the Andrews Air Force Base airfield are seagulls, buzzards, Canadian geese, and red tail hawks. Tactics to scare these birds from the flight path include whiz-bangs and air cannons, which make loud noises and remote control cars. Aircraft owned by the 459th ARW get about 50 bird strikes a year and, depending on where the bird hits, an engine can cost six figures to replace. At his young age, Jackson is going through socialization training. "He has to be able to listen to anyone giving him a command," Major Miller said. "He needs to be able to lie down and come back on command." He gets to go to the airfield now for about 15 minutes to train. But eventually, Jackson will get the opportunity to go to the airfield for up to an hour when there is no air traffic to chase the birds. The airfield managers and the air traffic control tower work together to find the right time to chase the birds. Typically, Jackson will be called in when pilots complain of bird activity in the airfield path or if nests are spotted. "It's a worthwhile cause if I can bring him to work and he is able to help aid us in avoiding bird strikes," Major Miller said. Major Miller has heard about the success of using dogs to combat bird strikes in other places. Over time, the birds do eventually leave he said. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) Click here to view the comments/letters page