Why is the Aviator harness more expensive than others?

The Aviator harness is very high quality and has been extensively tested. We do find that almost most stores that specialize in birds stop selling the other product once they see The Aviator and view the instructional video.

We also offer free exchanges for any customer that accidentally purchases the wrong size. We only need to be notified by the store or customer and we have the correct size in the mail the same day. The only responsibility of the retailer is to make sure we are notified. We also have very good customer service and take care of all problems immediately.

So while the Aviator may cost more upfront, I believe you will find that it is a higher quality than the competition and will last you and your bird much longer than any other harness on the market.

How often should I replace my bird’s Aviator harness?

The Aviator Harness can last years for the birds that never chew on it. For others it can be as little as a few months. We have many Frequent Flyers that replace their Aviator every spring, and always have a spare.

The Aviator Harness is considered escape proof because a bird is not able to take it off the way we do. However it is not damage proof. The Aviator is designed so that an attentive owner, following the directions, will have plenty of opportunity to observe an issue before there is too much damage. Even if a bird that has been left unattended has enough time to significantly damage one part of the harness, he still cannot easily remove the harness before the owner will notice the developing issue.

We have designed The Aviator to work well for the average pet parrot. As you have seen on the video we try to cover all the possible issues while making a safe harness for a bird. To make the strap material strong enough so a bird cannot damage it would require very thick, heavy and uncomfortable material. We have to balance safety and comfort with durability. 

Most birds do not chew the harness enough to cause damage. If your harness does become damaged, please contact us and we will assist you in determining if the harness needs replaced for safe use.

Can I use a detachable leash with my Aviator harness?

The biggest problem with a removable or quick disconnect leash is many parrots are much better at unclipping them than humans. Cockatoos especially can remove some of the slip clips and squeeze clips in a fraction of a second. It is impossible to know what moment in time a bird will discover how to remove a clasp, and little way to train them not to.

A safe bird harness also needs to be as lightweight as possible. Any disconnect mechanism that is strong enough to stand up to a parrot’s beak, and can also be worked by human fingers, will increase the weight a bird has to carry. 

Modifying The Aviator Leash to be removable is not recommended for several reasons.

• Any change made to something as important as a harness for your companion needs to be thoroughly tested by someone with experience working with harnesses and birds. There are many variables that can only be discovered after many years of trial and error. 

• Curious mechanically inclined species like cockatoos will figure out how to work the connection and remove the leash every time. 

• A bird carries the weight of the harness and ½ of the weight of the leash. Extra weight is a problem for smaller species, especially when flying. The Petite Aviator Harness weighs less than 7 grams. This equals about 12% of a cockatiels weight. Adding a 4 gram clasp increases the percentage to 17%. For a 150 pound person this would be over 25 pounds, and we don’t have a lightweight skeleton and fly. 

• The possibility of the clasp snagging on something is low risk but can be very annoying to a bird walking in the grass or sitting on a tree branch. We need to avoid things that may annoy a bird and cause him to not like wearing a harness.

• A bird wearing a harness and left in a carrier will likely become bored and may turn his attention to damaging a harness. 

• Most slip clips similar to what are used on dog leashes are a composite metal of steel. The metal does not bend like a nail, it breaks like plastic. A few larger parrots have been known to break the standard slip clip.

• Most connectors will be shiny and attractive as a toy, and a constant distraction. Some are plated with a coating that can be peeled off, with sharp edges and possibly toxic properties. (The metal slide on The Aviator is powder-coated black with the same safe paint that is used on most quality bird cages.)

At The Parrot University we have over 20 year’s personal experience using harnesses on thousands of birds of all ages. Before we settled on this design we spent 10 years experimenting with our designs and researching every harness design from every kind of animal. Since 2005 The Aviator Bird Harnesses has been tested by over 400,000 birds.

What do I do if the clasp on my harness is broken?

The Aviator Harness is escape proof but not damage proof. The design of the aviator keeps birds from being able to remove it the way we would remove it. Most birds like to chew on things and can get airborne quickly.

It is necessary to train your bird not to chew on the harness. We know this is not difficult because most birds have been trained not to chew on our clothes. Normally birds do not pay attention to shock cord connection because it is hanging down below them. For each size Aviator there is a specific distance away from the body where the shock cord attaches to the belt. This keeps a bird from being able to get to this part of the harness and cause damage.

For the shock cord connection we use a double barrel clasp with a multi strand shock cord. This combination keeps the leash intact even when damaged, and allows the owner more time to observe their bird paying attention to this area.

One issue we do have with the clasp is the seam down the middle. A parrot’s main job in life is to figure out how to open anything with a grove like found on a nut or seed. This is a means of survival for them. Larger birds have much stronger beaks and could damage the clasp so all sizes Large and above have epoxy applied to the seam so they do not try to open it. The epoxy does not make the clasp much stronger but simply hides the groove and removes the challenge.

I am sure you have experienced the ability of a bird’s beak to do damage to almost anything.  Our challenge in designing The Aviator is to balance the weight and strength of the materials with the safety of the harness. So, we can see the problem is not actually the strength of the clasp as we can understand most parrots can more easily chew through the strap material or the shock cord. If you Aviator Harness becomes damaged, please contact us so we can help determine if it needs replaced.

Why won’t the slide on my harness rotate?

Many people ask about the slide, it actually does not move on the belt. The entire belt is what rotates around the birds’ sides. Think of a person with only two belt loops on a pair of pants. One in the front and one in the back. Put on a belt and you can rotate the belt (buckle/slide) ½ way around your waist from front to back on your right side, and that’s how the Aviator belt works.

You will not be able to rotate the belt until the Aviator is on your bird and the feathers hold the belt loops in place. This rotating operation works on all birds but is easier on larger birds because they are bigger around.

If you bird is perching and not active it is usually better to have the leash towards the front of the bird. If he is walking or climbing you can manually rotate the leash to the back so it is out of the way of his feet. When flying, the leashes point of attachment will reorient as he flies and exerts some pull on the leash.

Should I use the Flight Line or the Leash Extension?

The Aviator Flight Line is stationary. A lead up to 30 feet long is attached to two end post that are placed into the ground. The post can be placed closer or further apart depending upon how big your area is. Leash extensions included in the packager are attached to the 30 foot long line. The other end is attached to the Aviator Harness leash. Larger birds that are in good condition will be able to fly in an area as large as 50 x 80 feet.

Now your bird can fly around the yard on his own without you holding onto the lead. This product is good for all ages but is very useful for younger birds. Your young bird will gain confidence moving around outside with you at a distance.

 The Aviator Flight Line is great for training outdoor flying and landing skills like recall training. It is very important for young birds to learn how to fly out and return to where they came from. A bird in the house does this but only because there are walls and other objects that make him turn around. It is a completely different experience in an open space.

The Aviator Leash Extensions are useful for moving around with your bird. As you slowly build up his strength and endurance you can let out more lead to fly longer distances.

Birds that do not have outdoor flying experience will usually fly in a straight line and may disappear if they accidentally get out on their own. A bird without outdoor experience can quickly become afraid. Because of lack of experience he will not know how to turn, and will not know how to land in grass or a limb with leaves on it. He will also have no idea where he is because he does not understand how the outside world works.

It does not take long for a healthy bird in good condition to learn all he needs to know to act more like a bird raised in the wild and not get lost. The Aviator Leash Extension can help you train your bird to fly freely without fear of getting lost.