dcn@ihuxl.UUCP (Dave Newkirk) (11/25/85)
At Huntington Beach, workmen complained of misanthropic pigeons roosting and hovering around the rafters of the high-ceiling production buildings. The droppings not only created sanitation problems for the Saturn stages, but also for the workers. A hand-picked pigeon elimination section went to work on the problem. High-frequency whistles worked for a time, but the pigeons returned. Occasional indoor potshots at the ubiquitous birds produced humanitarian protests and holes in the roof. Workmen tried to pigeon-proof the building by sealing off all outside openings, but the persistent creatures fluttered in through gaps where the huge door machinery and track rails were installed. Ornithologists consulted on the problem finally suggested some specially treated seeds to temporarily affect the pigoen's nervous systems. It worked. After pecking at the seeds, the pigeons sat quite still for a time, then finally flew off, never to return. Cheerfuly, the maintenance crews refreshed the seed supply every 60 days just to make sure their feathered foes kept their distance. From "Stages to Saturn - A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicles", available from the Superindendant of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Order NASA SP-4206, $12.00. -- Dave Newkirk, ihnp4!ihuxl!dcn
rjnoe@riccb.UUCP (Roger J. Noe) (11/27/85)
> At Huntington Beach, workmen complained of misanthropic pigeons roosting > and hovering around the rafters of the high-ceiling production buildings. That was not the only problem with those big buildings. In the huge Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, clouds used to form about 500 feet up and drop rain inside the building. I think it's all air-conditioned now. -- Roger Noe