Bird Strike Analysis Using SAS Visual Analytics

The report discusses the overview of bird strike dataset analysis findings using SAS Visual Analytics. It explores the impact of bird strikes on aircraft operators and provides suggestions for mitigating bird strikes.

Student Name Student ID
Big data Analysis Using SAS Visual Analytics
ITECH1103- Big Data and Analytics Group Assignment – Semester 1, 2019

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................2
Background..................................................................................................................................................2
Dashboard...................................................................................................................................................4
Additional Visualizations.............................................................................................................................6
Findings of the Analysis.............................................................................................................................10
Discussion of the Findings.........................................................................................................................19
Reflection..................................................................................................................................................20
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................21
References.................................................................................................................................................21
Appendices................................................................................................................................................23
Additional visualizations........................................................................................................................23
Analysis..................................................................................................................................................26
Dashboard.............................................................................................................................................32

Executive Summary
The report discusses the overview of bird strike dataset analysis findings. In this project,
BIRDSTRIKE_DATA set is used for the analysis. SAS visual analytics platforms are used in this
project. Mostly tables and bar charts are used in this project to show the findings of the
conducted analysis. From the conducted analysis different facts related to the bird strikes and
its impacts on the airline services are founded. Bird strikes are the major problem to the aircraft
operators. Mostly all the major aircraft operators affected by the bird strikes. Nearly 348
species are the major reason for the bird strike. Southwest airlines involved in most of the bird
strikes. Most of the bird strikes occurred during the approaching phase. Also, suggestions for
mitigating the bird strike are given in this report.
Background
Bird strike is one of the major problem faced by various aircraft operators all around the
world. Throughout the world, bird strike is one of the important reason for the losses and
accidents of the aircraft. In general, it is caused by birds as well as some ground animals. The
chosen data set contains the pieces of information about the various bird strikes. Here the
dataset contains the information of the bird strike from 2001 to 2011. The dataset contains
information about the various wildlife species mostly affected by the bird strike. From the
chosen dataset we also know about the various aircraft operator who faced bird strikes on the
selected time frame. All these details are analyzed using the SAS visual analytics software. This
software allows the users to carry out the visual analysis of the dataset (Blascheck, John,
Kurzhals, Koch & Ertl, 2016). By using this software we can develop different visual reports.
These visual reports help to improve the understanding of the results founded from the
analysis.
SAS Visual Analytics:

SAS Visual Analytics is a web-based product that has an increased performance on the analytics
technologies. It discovers the large data of an organization to identify the patterns, chances and latest
trends. The combination of data, outline of data and empower the predictive analysis of data. The
exploration of data and mining are made in an easier way. The SAS LASR Analytics server combines
with the SAS Visual Analytics Explorer of interface for drag and drop of data and for the high visual
content. This makes an organization to value the enormous amount of data. This results in easier
problem solving, to improve the performance of the business, for future prediction and to face risk. The
SAS Visual Analytics Designer is used to create the reports and dashboard for the particular devices and
webs. The models that are created, tested are based on the patterns used for finding the information
about the data.
Overview of visualizations
The SAS Visual Analytics Explorer exhibit the data by using the visualizations.
Visualization Types
 Automatic chart
Selects the type of chart in automatically which is on the data and that sets the
visualization. At first, that survey a new set of data. That gives a chart view of the data.
 Table
It displays the data in the table. It is used to test the data source and that should
rearrange the data columns and sort.
Benefits of using SAS Visual Analytics
In SAS Visual Analytics, the user is to increase the analytic power in the data and to
search the fresh data sources, investigate the team and to design uncover which belongs to the
patterns. Then it is very comfortable for the visual in reports. The traditional reporting is to be

prescribed that requirement of the search and to send. When the generalized data are
succeeded then we have to include the reports are added into the mobile device or in the SAS
Visual Analytics Viewer.
It provides the users from the following benefits:
 It allows the user to add the power, it shows the huge amount of data.
 It authorizes the user to search the data and different measures with heavy speeds.
 It allows the users to allocate awareness everywhere via the web/mobile device.
Dashboard
Reasons for Using Movement
Playable dashboards are very easy to create and it is useful. But we have to review for a
short time. If you want to set your report in motion, why?
Where the link of the kiosk (small enclosed structure with the open on one side) and
Booth (small stall for the display, sale of goods to sell newspapers, cigarettes) for a short
duration.
At presentation, we have to determine how long does each page displays and explain
about the keys and displays report of the distraction of each page.
Design considerations for playable dashboards
The aim of the report moves on to the kiosk or a booth, we have to need the
information to move faster. The key and diagrams are held quickly except the playable
dashboards.
A multiplex report is to be reported by the use of small font and the multiple different
objects, then the audience is occupied from the report (Bodén & Stenliden, 2019).

The report object is necessary to need your first look and then the entries of the data
(graph) are set to move at a fast rate in per page with three or four seconds.
Example of a playable Dashboard
The report created describes the bird strikes by the aircraft. The report has 25,558 rows
of data. The bar chart is used to compare the data and geomap to report the object. The
geomap has icons, buttons, colors and it is associated with that legend of the display in the
graph. The values are displayed on the color scale in the graph.
The report has a geomap, statistics and a bar diagram. The geomap represents the
frequency of bird hit on the particular continent of the area. The frequency ranges from 2520 to
less than 820. The Asian continent has high frequency and the South American continent is low
at frequency. The statistical report is about the total cost collected for remains of wildlife. Sun
River airport has spent the total cost of 10 million. The bar diagram represents the frequency

condition of precipitation during various climate change. The frequency of precipitation is
higher in the season other than fog, rain, and snow. And there is no precipitation on rainy and
snowy seasons ("Editorial Note: Advances in Visual Analytics and Mining Visual Data", 2018).
Justifications for the used visual elements on this project
In this analysis, we used bar charts and cross tables for visualizing the findings. We used
bar charts and pie charts because they are very easy to understand. The bar chart shows the
relationship between the variables very clearly. By using that we can compare the different
variables. Also, cross tabulation also a quite simple method for understanding. It doesn't
requires huge statistical knowledge to interpret.
Additional Visualizations
In this section of the report the evidence of some other deep investigations are given.
Here the six different aspects on the given dataset are analyzed.
Relation between Aircraft size and bird strike frequency

There is a significant relationship between the aircraft size as well as bird strike
frequency. From the given graph that is clear in the total bird strikes nearly half of them happen
to the large aircraft. But at the same time, we need to consider another thing. In large aircraft,
most of the bird strikes are a single or small group. The graph shows clear evidence. Here a
large number of bird groups not struck on the large aircraft.
Impact of bird size and Aircraft size on the bird strike
The above-given cross table shows the relation between the bird size and aircraft size
and bird strike frequency. In total bird strikes, most of the bird strikes are caused by the

medium size birds. Among them, nearly 40% of the bird strikes are faced by large aircraft. Bird
size is the key factor in bird strikes.
Number of Peoples Injured by the bird strike on different regions
The above-given bar chart shows no of injuries caused in different regions. In California,
most of the injuries because of the bird strikes are recorded. Nearly 2500 human injuries have
happened in California.
Bird Strikes on different altitude

In bird, striking altitude plays a significant role. In general most of the accidents are
noticed in the lower altitudes. Nearly 70 % birds strike happen in the altitude range of the 0 –
500. Birds couldn’t fly at higher altitudes.
Bird size vs impact to the flight
In aircraft repairs related to the engine is the major problem. From the above give table
that is clear striking on the large birds on the engine blades are the major reason for the engine
shutdown. In general engine, blades are designed to withstand the bird strike impacts. But the
weight of the bird plays a crucial role. Birds over the weight of 3 kg damage the engine blades.
Bird strikes on aircraft vs helicopter

Both aircraft and helicopters are vulnerable to bird strikes. When compared to
helicopter aircraft are mostly affected by the bird strikes because of its higher speed.

Findings of the Analysis
Created the data dictionary for birds’ strikes. The dictionary name is aircraft. It has the
BIRDSTRIKE_DATA details such as aircraft, record id, airline/operator, make /model, number of
engines, name, altitude bin, and conditional precipitation.
There are many numbers of bird strike involved in every aircraft. The bird strikes are
happened by many of the different types of wildlife species. The types of wildlife species that

are involved in bird strike are 348. The strike will be taking place in all of the approaches of the
aircraft.
This diagram reports the frequency of pilot warned of birds and wildlife. The frequency
range is high with 60% and low with nearly 50%.
There are ten aircraft involved in the bird strike. The aircraft are categorized based on
the more number of occurrences of bird strikes. The top five aircraft that are involved in most

of the bird strikes are Southwest Airlines, Business, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, American
eagle airlines. The total strikes of Southwest airline are four thousand five hundred, which is
double than the strike frequency of American airlines. The frequency percentage of Business is
three thousand hundred (Géryk, 2016). The third aircraft which specified in the bird strike is
American airlines, the total frequency of the bird strike occurrence of this airline is two
thousand hundred. The fourth highest number of bird strike occurred aircraft is Delta airlines,
the frequency of strike in the aircraft is thousand five hundred. The final aircraft in the top five
bird strike occurred aircraft is American eagle airlines, the total frequency American eagle
airlines is thousand.
The bird strikes are categorized into three types based upon their size. That is a small,
medium, and large-size of wildlife species. The frequency of bird strikes involved in medium size
is twenty-five percentage, and the frequency of the large size bird strike is nine percentage,
which is less than all other categories of bird strikes. The frequency in small size bird strike is
higher when compared to other types of strike frequencies, the total percentage of small sized
bird strike is seventy percentage, which is more than double of the frequency of medium size
bird strike frequency.

The bird strike will be classified in each phase of the aircraft. The frequency will be
identified by using the bird strikes in each phase of the aircraft. There are totally seven phases
that will be used to find the frequency of bird strikes. Most of the bird strikes have occurred in
the phase of approach in aircraft when compared to the frequency of other phases. The total
strike percentage of approach phase is forty percent. The frequency of strike percentage is
more than the other phases of the flight ("Information visualization and visual analytics:
challenges and opportunities", 2013). The landing phase, take-off phase, and other phases are
less than twenty percentage but the approach phase has double the percentage of all other
phases.
In most of the rare case, the bird strike in aircraft has occurred while parking, there are
nearby fourteen strikes are occurred in the phase of parking of the aircraft. But the strike

frequency while parking is very less when compared to the frequency of other phases in the
aircraft.
Yes. The bird strike will be differentiated into three types based on the weather
condition of the sky. The classifications are no cloud, some cloud, and overcast condition. Most
of the bird strike happens at no cloud condition than overcast and some cloud weather
condition. From the chosen dataset we founded nearly the percentage of bird strikes at
different sky conditions (Ishikawa & fujishiro, 2018). Among them, most of the bird strikes have
occurred when no cloud condition. (Nearly 50%).
Most of the bird strikes are happening only in none participation condition when
compared to other weather conditions. From the chosen dataset, we can identify that many of

the birds are used to fly in the condition of a clear sky. So the number of occurrences of bird
strikes are mostly taking place in none participation condition.
When compared to the unknown bird-small, Ring-billed Gull and some other categories
in the given data set the Canadian goose has the largest total cost, and it is calculated as
$20666597 while the other species in the wildlife species list has the cost of less than $10
(Khosravi & Cooper, 2018).
Among all the phases in the aircraft, the approach phase has the number of bird strike
frequency in the bird strike. The Canadian goose is addressed as the most costly species when
compared to the other species in the wildlife. The most of the occurrence was happened by the
Canadian species in the phase of approach in the aircraft while the other phases of the aircraft
have the occurrence in less occurrence of bird strikes (Canadian goose).

Cross tab developed for analyzing three different variables. From that we can know
about the relation between the “Pilot warned of bird strike”, “Altitude of bin” and “Total cost”.
The geomap is created to report the strike of the bird with the given data. The map
represents the frequency on the origin state. The dots represent the frequency on that
particular state or an area. The big dot has a higher frequency of bird strikes than the small dot.
The higher frequency range is approximately 2,520 and lower frequency range is below 840.
The higher range is recorded on the Asian continent and the lower range is on the Southern
part of America (Luo & MacEachren, 2014).

This statistical diagram reports the total cost spent by the airport. This graph is a
comparison between various airports. It has airport data. The vertical side represents the
names of the airport and the horizontal side represents the total cost in million. The cost ranges
from zero million to twelve and a half million. The airport that spent the highest cost is Troy
Municipal ARPT. The total cost is 12.5 million (Nash, 2008). The lowest spent airport is Kansas
City INTL with more than 2.5 million of the total cost. The other airports have gradual

differences between them. The Martin State ARPT and San Francisco INTL ARPT are same in the
range of nearly 7.5 million.
This report has a plot chart of the clusters analysis. The two variable used in the graph is
time out of service and total cost. The time out of service is represented with day, month, date,
year and timing. The flight date range is from Saturday, January 1 of 2000 to Tuesday, January 1
of 2008. The total cost is represented in millions of cost from zero to ten million. There are four
clusters plotted (Schumann & Tominski, 2011). The observations used to make the graph is 102.
The total polyline used is 47. The chart with polylines has cluster id and total cost. The cluster
which is orange in color has the highest total cost with nearly 12,397,751.
According to the answer of the 15th question, Dallas/ Forth INTL airport faced a large number
of bird strikes on the given time span. But the same time in the top five airlines spent higher
money for bird strike are differ from the list of airports face a higher number of bird strikes. It
all may because of the impact of the bird strike. In the airports spent higher money may be
affected by the large size birds. So that they cause higher damage to the flight. Higher damage
requires higher money for resolved.

The species that are described in the graph is Canadian goose and Bald eagle. The graph
represents the frequency of wildlife species affected due to aircraft. The frequency ranges from
zero to four hundred which is high in count. Here the graph is a comparison between Canadian
Goose and Bald Eagle. The Canadian goose is high in range than Bald eagle. The range of
Canadian goose is nearly four hundred and range of Bald eagle is nearly a hundred (Stapleton,
Vitiello & Sebillo, 2011). This report shows the time of day that bird strike is likely to be high of
these two species.
Discussion of the Findings
From the conducted analysis the following findings are identified. From the given
dataset one thing is clear, bird strikes have most often occurred. It does not only occur in some
places but through the world, we noticed the bird strikes. Bird strikes on the aircraft show
impact on the functionality of the aircraft. In many cases, air crafts require immediate service
for further operation. Aircraft companies spend huge money on reducing bird strikes and
resolving the issues caused by the bird strike. Almost 350 number of birds are involved in the
bird strike. In the given dataset nearly 1200 aircraft operator's details are there. All the bird
strike can't create damage to the aircraft. Only 5% of bird strikes cause structural damage. Even
though aircraft operators spent huge money on bird strikes. Because they are the most
dangerous event. Mostly all the bird strikes have occurred during the approach process.

Because during the approach the aircraft flies at the lower altitude. Generally, birds don't fly at
high altitude. Most of the bird strikes occur on the height below 200 m. And the impact of the
bird strike mainly depends on the area where the impact happening. Most of the times birds
strike on the windshield, radar cone, and engine part. The most dangerous place is the radar
cone and wings. Because they are relatively fewer strength parts than others. Aircraft
manufactures mostly develop the aircraft engines suitable for the bird collision (van Wijk,
2013). So most of the times engine withstand the bird strike. Generally, aircraft engines don't
get damaged by the 3.5 kg bird's collision.
Reflection
 The data contained in the given data set was invalid and the data set is large it takes
more time to load than other datasets, so we are removing the data which are not in
proper meaning.
 The phases of aircraft details will not be provided properly in the data set, so we are
found out each of the phases and the strike frequency of bird strikes.
 More than 70% of the bird strikes are happened only by Group of small birds. The
Group of small birds affects the equipment of the aircraft than the damage caused by
the single large bird.
 We are discovering the top five airports that spent more money on bird strike
mitigation. They are Troy Municipal Airport, Martin State Airport, San Francisco Intl
Airport, Orlando Sanford Intl Airport, and Newark liberty Intl Airport.
 We are facing difficulties in finding the accurate frequency of the bird strike occurred in
every aircraft.
 Unavailability of graphic representation is the major drawback of SAS, we are only
applying the plots.

Conclusion
At the end of the project that is concluded that the birds striking is one of the most
frequently occurred problems affects the aircraft. Nearly all kind of air crafts is facing birds
striking. The engine of the aircraft is the most vulnerable to the bird striking. Next to the engine
aircraft engine wings affected by the bird striking. In some cases, aircraft and bird collision
result from loss of human lives and big accidents. But only 5 % of the bird striking cause the
structural damage to the aircraft. All the aircraft operators through the world struggle to
mitigate the bird strikes. Nearly $ 500 m amount spend by the US for this issue. These are the
major findings of the conducted analysis. Detailed overview of the findings and patterns are
discussed in the report.
References
Blascheck, T., John, M., Kurzhals, K., Koch, S., & Ertl, T. (2016). VA2: A Visual Analytics Approach
for Evaluating Visual Analytics Applications. IEEE Transactions On Visualization And
Computer Graphics, 22(1), 61-70. doi: 10.1109/tvcg.2015.2467871
Bodén, U., & Stenliden, L. (2019). Emerging Visual Literacy through Enactments by Visual
Analytics and Students. Designs For Learning, 11(1), 40-51. doi: 10.16993/dfl.108
Editorial Note: Advances in Visual Analytics and Mining Visual Data. (2018). Multimedia Tools
And Applications, 77(14), 17517-17517. doi: 10.1007/s11042-018-5832-9
Géryk, J. (2016). Visual analytics of educational time-dependent data using interactive dynamic
visualization. Expert Systems, 34(1), e12175. doi: 10.1111/exsy.12175
Information visualization and visual analytics: challenges and opportunities. (2013). SCIENTIA
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Ishikawa, Y., & fujishiro, I. (2018). TideGrapher: Visual Analytics of Tactical Situations for Rugby
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Khosravi, H., & Cooper, K. (2018). Topic Dependency Models: Graph-Based Visual Analytics for
Communicating Assessment Data. Journal Of Learning Analytics, 5(3), 136-153. doi:
10.18608/jla.2018.53.9
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Appendices
Additional visualizations
1. Relation between Aircraft size and bird strike frequency
2. Impact of bird size and Aircraft size on the bird strike

3. Number of Peoples Injured by the bird strike on different regions
4. Bird Strikes on different altitude

5. Bird size vs impact to the flight
6. Bird strikes on aircraft vs helicopter

Analysis

According to the answer of the 15th question, Dallas/ Forth INTL airport faced a large
number of bird strikes on the given time span. But the same time in the top five airlines spent
higher money for bird strike are differ from the list of airports face a higher number of bird
strikes. It all may because of the impact of the bird strike. In the airports spent higher money

may be affected by the large size birds. So that they cause higher damage to the flight. Higher
damage requires higher money for resolved.
Dashboard