Reporting ECCAIRS 2

Reporting ECCAIRS 2

The reporting of every wildlife strike event, confirmed or suspected, is both a regulatory obligation and a fundamental risk management tool. Only through the systematic and comprehensive collection of data is it possible to understand the scale of the phenomenon, identify specific vulnerabilities at each aerodrome, and guide prevention strategies.

Since 2022, reporting is carried out through ECCAIRS2, the European aviation occurrence reporting system managed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Commission. The use of this system ensures harmonisation of information at European level and feeds the EU database on safety events.

Who must report

The reporting obligation applies to all parties becoming aware of an event:

• Pilots and crew members: must report every confirmed or suspected strike, as well as any effect on the conduct of the flight (go-around, rejected take-off, evasive manoeuvre) attributable to the presence of wildlife
• ATS personnel: must report any strike they become aware of within their area of responsibility during their tour of duty
• Air operators: are responsible for forwarding reports received from flight crew
• Airport operators: must report every event occurring within the aerodrome, including the discovery of carcasses or bird remains on the runway or within 60 metres of the runway centreline
• Maintenance personnel: must report aircraft damage objectively attributable to wildlife impact (blood traces, feathers, etc.), even when not reported by the flight crew

It is important to always record the height at which the event occurred: strikes occurring below 300 feet above ground level fall within the specific competence of the aerodrome concerned.