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Bird Control Training

Jim Bowen, Head of Training, teaching a mixed class of Safeskys Bird Controllers and RAF personnel

Safeskys have courses planned throughout the UK every month. Book your place now. We can also conduct weapons training for RFFS and Operations Staff. We also offer bird control consultancy to determine the optimum method of controlling the bird problems at your location.

Safeskys is the world's largest provider of airport Bird Control Services. Safeskys holds regular training courses at our Bird Control Training College near Sleaford, Lincolnshire for airport bird control operators & supervisors. The course fee is £485 per person fully inclusive of accommodation & subsistence. The course is residential but courses can be held at your airport. Courses are of 2 days duration for people with airport experience. If airfield driving and radio experience are required, another ½ day and £100 is added to the course.

Safeskys is the world's largest provider of Airport Bird Control Services, now employing 77 bird control operators on 21 airports. In addition Safeskys has trained bird control operators for 57 other airports. Safeskys is BS EN ISO 9001:2008 accredited. Company instructors are highly qualified current bird control operators with over 20 years experience. The course has been designed using practical knowledge of operating and training Safeskys' own bird control operators. The course is run on your site or at Coningsby Airfield, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The surrounding countryside is ideal for fieldwork with many varieties of birds and wildlife. Each student is provided with a comprehensive data bank of material for self-study and reference once he/she has completed the course. All successful students receive a training certificate. Accommodation and meals are normally arranged in local hostelries (inclusive in the course fee). Overseas students can be collected for the course from Stansted, Luton, Humberside or East Midlands Airport. The 2-day course costs £485 (530 Euros) per student. For 4 or more students the course can be held on your site. Details on course fees and dates can be obtained from Safeskys on + 44 1494 558363. or e-mail: bcu@safeskys.co.uk

Recent comments from customers:

North Weald Airport - "A thoroughly enjoyable / useful course that I look forward to putting into practice"

Leeds Bradford Airport Director - " An informative day, He explained the theory behind what gets done on the airport"

RAF Lyneham - "Very Good Course"

RAF Odiham - "Knowledgeable instructor with vast experience to pass on.  I enjoyed the course"

TRAIN YOUR BIRD CONTROLLERS BY EXPERTS

COME TO SAFESKYS
RECOGNISED BY THE UK CAA

Course Content

SAFESKYS BIRD CONTROL TRAINING COURSE SYNOPSIS

Safeskys' Bird Control Course is an objective based modular course encompassing both the theory and practical aspects of bird control in areas where their presence can cause damage and danger to the site. The overall objective of the 2 day course is: 'Through modern and efficient control methods, teach staff to reduce the hazard of birds in and around the vicinity of airfields and other vulnerable sites". The course is based around the following subjects:

  1. Reasons for Bird Control
  2. Bird Control and the Law
  3. Methods of Bird Control
  4. Bird Recognition and species habits
  5. Use of local knowledge in Bird Control
  6. Safety procedures for Firearms and Pyrotechnics
  7. Health and Safety In the Workplace
  8. Airfield driving procedures (where required)
  9. Administration of a Bird Control Unit

Introduction. instructor introduces himself, explains the aims of the course, explains safety procedures, fire alarms, drills etc. Students introduce themselves. Bird Biology Lecture. Origin of the species. Habits etc. Bird-strikes. Establish what constitutes a bird-strike, results, damage, cost etc. Distress calls. Explain the reasons for them, how they affect others of the species, Do all species have them? How to use them to our advantage. Types of bird control. Comparing different forms of control, includes static scarers, mobile scarers & bird scaring cartridges (BSCs). Bird control & the law. Discuss the contents of any Wildlife & Countryside Legislation, and how it affects BCU operators. Bird Identification. Recognise the various members of this family group - Corvid. Airfield driving & how driving on an airfield differs from road driving. Radio procedures. Introduction to radio usage & phonetic alphabet. Video of airfield driving. Grass management. Explain the airfield long grass policy, How to get and maintain a good grass management policy. Bird ID - Waders. Recognise the various members of this family group. Reporting and explaining how the necessary records are to be kept, plus their administration & onward transmission. Dispersal methods. Explain the various static and mobile methods, comparing one with another. Health & Safety at Work. Explain the employers and employees responsibilities. Lethal methods. Discuss the various methods of killing birds, when to use such methods, responsibilities under the law. Bird ID - Gull. Recognise the various members of this family group. Hangar Infestations. Explain methods of keeping birds out of hangars, methods of removal once infected. Discuss the effects of hangar infestation. Rookeries. Establish why there Is a need to cull local rookeries. Bird ID - Starling. Recognise the various members of this family group. including other small species. Local knowledge. Explain the need for local knowledge in Bird Control, plus the requirement to establish good liaison with other agencies, both within & outside the airfield environment. Practical Lesson. In this period the student will be shown how to implement the practical elements of what he/she has so far leant in theory. e.g. Airfield driving, use of BSCs & Shotgun Including the various safety procedures. Bird ID. Plovers - Recognise the various members of this family group - Waders. Recording & Explain the need to fully report any bird-strike incident, whether interpreting actual or suspected, including species identification. Bird-strikes. Bird ID - Game Birds. Recognise the various members of this family group - Geese & others. Revision Session. Course precis, including any student queries. Final revision. Preparation for final exam. Written test paper. A multi choice exam covering all aspects of course including bird IDs. Course Critique. Results of test paper, Student Input to course content (for evaluation purposes). Final Administration. End of Course.