Reporter questions the use of aircraft radar on during takeoff for helping to prevent a bird strike.

Attributes
ACN	324460
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	324460
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Several yrs ago (15-20) while being line checked by the company chief pilot and approach the runway for takeoff at jfk on a clear night, the examiner recommended that I turn the radar from standby to on. He quoted a bird strike study which indicated fewer such incidents for aircraft with radar 'on' as opposed to those with radar 'off' or not installed. Do you know of any such study or have any other information which would support or deny this idea? As I recall, the theory was that birds sensed the radar and tried to avoid it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was advised that there are no study results available to indicate that the radar might act as a bird deterrent when turned on. Pilots do believe that the aircraft landing light help both in day time as well at night. However, there is no mention in the airmen's information manual regarding taking either of these actions to reduce the bird strike risks in section 4, bird hazards in section 7, safety of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR QUESTIONS THE USE OF ACFT RADAR ON DURING TKOF FOR HELPING TO PREVENT A BIRD STRIKE.

Narrative: SEVERAL YRS AGO (15-20) WHILE BEING LINE CHKED BY THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT AND APCH THE RWY FOR TKOF AT JFK ON A CLR NIGHT, THE EXAMINER RECOMMENDED THAT I TURN THE RADAR FROM STANDBY TO ON. HE QUOTED A BIRD STRIKE STUDY WHICH INDICATED FEWER SUCH INCIDENTS FOR ACFT WITH RADAR 'ON' AS OPPOSED TO THOSE WITH RADAR 'OFF' OR NOT INSTALLED. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY SUCH STUDY OR HAVE ANY OTHER INFO WHICH WOULD SUPPORT OR DENY THIS IDEA? AS I RECALL, THE THEORY WAS THAT BIRDS SENSED THE RADAR AND TRIED TO AVOID IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT THERE ARE NO STUDY RESULTS AVAILABLE TO INDICATE THAT THE RADAR MIGHT ACT AS A BIRD DETERRENT WHEN TURNED ON. PLTS DO BELIEVE THAT THE ACFT LNDG LIGHT HELP BOTH IN DAY TIME AS WELL AT NIGHT. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO MENTION IN THE AIRMEN'S INFO MANUAL REGARDING TAKING EITHER OF THESE ACTIONS TO REDUCE THE BIRD STRIKE RISKS IN SECTION 4, BIRD HAZARDS IN SECTION 7, SAFETY OF FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.