FA4486-17-Q-0006_BASH_QA_10_July_2017.pdf

FA4486‐17‐Q‐0006 BASH

Questions and Answers, as of 10 July 2017

Layout of the airport; The airfield and runway can be found using the following coordinates and the diagram below . (38°45'50.9"N 27°05'32.9"W)

* Distances between the airport and the nearest living/industrial/administrative areas, as well as between the buildings in the zone of the airport; Approximate distances can be found online.

* Annual traffic of the airport ( + projection for 3 – 5 years); Lajes Field is a joint use military‐ civilian airport located in Terceira, Azores, Portugal. Commercial airlines, TAP and Sata, operate at the civilian airport west of the runway. Military operations are conducted east of the field. The Portuguese Air Force, specifically Headquarters Azores Air Zone, Air Base 4, operates CASA C‐295 fixed‐wing aircraft and SA‐330 Puma helicopters. The 65 Air Base Wing does not own any flying assets at the airfield.

However, the unit provides a strategic hub that supports and enables expeditionary movement of transient aircraft and personnel. In total there are approximately 14K movements.

* Bird strike statistic in the last 3 years and expected bird strike rates; Approximately 5/10 reported bird strikes annually.

‐ Attractive areas for birds in and around the airport (marked on a sketch of the airport):

* Waste management in the area in and around the zone of the airport (are there any dumps or other areas close to the airport, which could attract birds); There’s only one 10 miles away towards the south 38°40'52.1"N 27°10'40.4"W.

* Open‐air water objects, sketched on the layout; It’s an island. Lajes Field is located on the northeast side of Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal and is home of the 65th Air Base Group. The island is located approximately 940 miles west of mainland Portugal. The Portuguese maintain air traffic control while the United States Air Force is tasked with the daily management of the airfield. The airfield is managed under guidelines IAW ICAO conventions. Lajes has a single runway (33‐15) orientated roughly northwest and southeast. The ocean is approximately 0.5 miles from the north end of the runway and

1.8 miles from the south end of the runway.

* Are there any implemented bird control measures? Is there any preparation for bird control measures? (Description of the methodology/ies, system/s); N/A

* Document, describing the weather conditions in the area (wind rose – speed and direction;

specific seasonable anomalies; unordinary temperature amplitudes; other weather conditions, which could influence the operation of the airport); N/A

* Document, describing the movements of birds in and around the airport (detailed information for presence of birds in and around the airport; critical zones; types of birds; seasonality etc.); The Azores does not lie along any major migratory flyway for birds and is just west of the East Atlantic Flyway. However, the island location serves as a natural bird habitat and a BASH hazard does exist at Lajes Field. Much of the land around the airport is agricultural farmland, used for growing corn and raising cattle. The infields adjacent to the runway are also used for baling hay, allowing the grass to grow well above 14 inches in height. The common bird species present at Lajes are: seagulls, pigeons, starlings, and sparrows. While mammals do not pose a significant concern, stray cats and rabbits are observed.

* Areas of responsibility of the airport (particular distance from the ground, where the airport should provide bird strike control); Only to land and take off but covering the whole RUNWAY.

* Biological and ornithological assessment and recommendations (if any); N/A

* Local requirement for noise levels in and around the airport. None. But any loud noise has to be pre coordinated with local authorities. Therefore no automatic or independent systems are allowed.