UCAA DG Talks Bird Strikes in Maiden Speech as Chairman of National Committee on Wildlife Hazard Management

The Director General (DG) of the Uganda Civil Aviation (UCAA) has been named as the Chairperson of the National Committee on Wildlife Hazard Management.

“..In my capacity as Chairman of this newly established Committee (Designated by Statutory Instrument 94, 2022 Civil Aviation (Aerodromes) Regulations, I am encouraged by the presence of such professionals and stakeholders gathered here today,” said Mr. Fred Bamwesigye.

According to Bamwesigye, “This Committee has not been established by chance, it is a deliberate and strategic response to a pressing issue that has grown in significance over the years: the threat posed by wildlife, particularly bird strikes, to aviation safety in Uganda.”

“I wish to recall the most significant bird strikes that has occurred at Entebbe International Airport. A KLM Airbus A330-200 on October 10^th, 2010, had a bird strike while performing flight KLM562 from Entebbe (Uganda) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), ingesting a bird into the right-hand engine, shortly after take-off. A bird strike is a collision between an aircraft and a bird. Besides impacting operations at the airport, this incident came with huge associated costs relating to procurement of a new aircraft engine.

Each wildlife strike is a potential threat to human life, to aircraft, and to operational efficiency. According to ICAO statistics, thousands of such incidents occur annually, with millions of dollars in damages and airport and airspace disruptions. Considering the growing air traffic, with increasing settlements near airports, and evolving wildlife behaviour, it is imperative to adopt a national, coordinated approach in minimising wildlife hazard around airports,” said Bamwesigye.

Bamwesigye says that bird and wildlife strikes remain one of the most persistent operational risks facing airports globally and locally.

He adds that the impact of such incidents goes beyond economic losses; it directly affects the safety of passengers, crew, aircraft, and airport operations. Entebbe being a bird sanctuary means that we inevitably must co-exist with the birds, while putting in place mitigation measures that ensure that the runways are free of birds prior to a landing or take-off.

“This comes at a huge cost and requires a lot of communal sensitization efforts, among others,” he said. “Over the years, air traffic has expanded rapidly, our airports have expanded, and proximity of human settlements and natural ecosystems to critical aviation infrastructure has increased significantly. These changes, while indicators of growth and development, also come with rising operational and safety risks, chief among them, wildlife strikes, particularly bird strikes requiring us to respond with a national, integrated strategy in bird and wildlife hazard management.”

The Committee will be the primary national platform for policy coordination, data sharing, and inter-agency collaboration on wildlife hazard management.

Bamwesigye said that “Its formation signals a shift—from a reactive to a proactive, scientific and systematic response to the wildlife threat in aviation.”

As Chairman, he added, “I emphasize that this Committee is not simply a formality it is a working body with a clear mandate, measurable outcomes, and accountability to the aviation industry.”

“Our success will depend on consistent engagement, accurate data, and the political will to act decisively when risks are identified. I am confident that with the expertise in this Committee and the institutional backing we have, we are well positioned to make meaningful progress. Honourable Minister, with your guidance and the strategic direction of your Ministry, I am confident that we will be able to elevate wildlife hazard management to a national priority within our aviation safety agenda. We also look forward to your policy support in ensuring the necessary resources and institutional backing are made available to implement the Committee’s recommendations effectively. Let us seize this opportunity to make our skies safer, not just through regulation, but through cooperation, vigilance, and innovation.”