New Delhi - Grass fire within runway gables and aircraft departing
 

Sat as a pax at the holding point on a jet airways flight out of New Delhi this evening when I noticed fireworks being let off near the runway and other aircraft. This had caused a small grass fire within the runway gables. There were no fire services in attendance and we departed nonetheless ...

I'm only a ppl holder but I would not depart in such circumstances.

Is it normal procedure to let off fireworks next to the runway (to scare birds maybe) ... Can't imagine seeing this at other international airports but happy to be corrected.

They shoot off pyrotechnic flares that whistle and then explode at about 50' AGL here at KFLL quite often to scare the egrets and other birds which forage next to the two runways. I suppose in very dry conditions a grass fire could be quite possible.

Automatic propane cannons are also used.

Neither seem to be effective for more than an hour.

I've heard the best bird deterrents are trained falcons but have never seen falconers employed here.

Why wouldn't you have departed? Stayed to watch the fireworks? Watch the small grass fire?

Good thing you didn't spot the bird snipers with their rifles.... One about every 2000' all the way down the runway.

Mmmm ... It was dark and I can't say I was looking out for them

For the same reason you're not allowed to smoke airside ... ?

As been mentioned the use of pyrotechnics airside is fairly commonplace world wide.

Which is?

I suspect the logic is that if flare pistols and similar were not allowed to be used airside then there's an increased risk of birdstrike. Personally if I was up the front I'd be quite happy the bird scaring was going on and would have happily departed regardless of small fires on/near the runway edge. I certainly wouldn't have refused to depart and then sat there perhaps watching the fire get bigger :eek:

We aren't? That's news to me, and I'm rather certain the airport where I'm currently employed has several smoking 'huts' (converted 20ft containers, actually) spread around the apron area, for the use of employees. There's also a smoking area for passengers located airside. Actually it's outside the terminal, on the apron side of the building.

The fire will stop the locals having a dump in the long grass and the smoke will give you an accurate measure of wind speed and direction.

How do those things work? There's one at one of our airports and I assumed it was for BBQs while watching the aeroplanes come and go, but then somebody said they are for scaring the birds. Do they shoot something?