Dump Near Airport Attracts Birds... Big Birds

General aviation pilots operating at Austin (TX) Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) say they're becoming more and more worried about bird strikes. The reason? Two landfills -- both located less than mile from the airport -- that attract vultures. Big, looming, Texas-sized vultures.

"We're climbing up, and two buzzards passed right in front of the airplane, and I remember them distinctly going right in front of the windshield," pilot Stephen Becker told Austin's KXAN-36, recounting his experience last month on a flight with his wife.

There have been two bird strikes at Austin in the past five months. In fact, there have been 202 bird strikes at Bergstrom since the airport opened in 1999.

Only seven of those strikes involved the vultures. Pilots say those are seven too many -- and that the large birds pose a danger not just to smaller general aviation planes, but also the Southwest 737s flying between Austin and Houston that go right over the landfills.

After hearing from concerned pilots Tuesday night, airport board members decided they'll make a resolution about the landfills at their meeting next month. Stay tuned.

FMI: www.ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport/