Program Evaluation Report Card Tool for Wildlife Hazard Management Plans: User Guide (2023)

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1   Program Evaluation Report Card Tool for Wildlife Hazard Management Plans: User Guide Airport operators worldwide continue to be challenged by wildlife risks to aircraft opera­ tions and the ongoing need to develop, implement, and regularly review their Wildlife Hazard Management Plans (WHMPs) and Programs to reduce risks and enhance safety. Factors that contribute to the ongoing risk of wildlife strikes with aircraft include the increasing popu­ lations of large birds and increased air traffic by quieter aircraft (FAA and USDA 2022). The threat of wildlife strikes with aircraft has the potential to increase as new and potentially quieter electric aircraft enter the fleet mix and travel at low altitudes. Airport environments are dynamic, and FAA regulations at 14 CFR 139.337, Wildlife Hazard Management, requires operators of certificated airports to review their WHMPs every 12 consecutive months or immediately following a triggering event (multiple wild­ life strikes, substantial damage from a wildlife strike, or an engine ingestion of wildlife). Some states require operators of general aviation (GA) airports to review their WHMPs or wildlife programs during annual safety inspections. Although FAA regulations at 14 CFR Part 139.337 require airport operators to evaluate their WHMPs every 12 consecutive months or following a triggering event, little guidance is available to assist airport operators in conducting a meaningful evaluation of WHMP/ Program effectiveness over time. The primary objective of ACRP Project 10­30, “Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Airport’s Wildlife Hazard Management Program,” was to provide airport operators of all types and sizes with guidance and tools to evaluate the effectiveness of their WHMPs to reduce wildlife strike risks to aviation. New Tool to Consider Wildlife Hazard Management Based on extensive research with regulators, agencies, and representatives from diverse airports nationwide, the ACRP Project 10­30 project team developed the Wildlife Hazard Management Plan/Program Evaluation Report Card Tool or PERC Tool. The PERC Tool uses readily available Excel software to provide an easy­to­use, scalable tool to determine the overall effectiveness of an airport’s WHMP in reducing wildlife risks as well as the effectiveness of each component measure in the WHMP/Program (Figure S1). Customized Report Card The PERC Tool generates output in real time by producing a Program Evaluation Report Card (Report Card). The Report Card presents output as key performance indicators (KPIs) using graphs, gauges, and charts. S U M M A R Y

2 Program Evaluation Report Card Tool for Wildlife Hazard Management Plans: User Guide Figure S1. PERC Tool output.

Summary 3   In addition to considering strike data, the nine PERC Tool categories consider such items as: • Part 139 Compliance/Non­Part 139 Airport Best Management Practices (BMPs); • Implementation and success with individual WHMP/Program Measures (Recommen­ dations); • High­risk/priority species and risk assessment; • Training, equipment, and resources; • Managing off­site wildlife attractants; and • Outreach and education. Getting Beyond the Data The KPIs and metrics included in the PERC Tool enable airport operators to provide meaningful evaluations that get beyond the data and provide a Report Card that is easily interpreted and can be used to promote communication throughout the airport community. The following PERC user guide and reference document provides the project back­ ground, step­by­step instructions to support tool use, and examples of tool output using the Report Card.