THE terrifying incident which occurred last year at Eltari Airport in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, still haunts Chief Captain Arief Budiman. On that afternoon the sun was just beginning to set when the 45-year-old pilot prepared to take the Boeing 737-200 Merpati Airlines flight off the ground. Ariefs eyes suddenly caught sight of a flock of birds on the runway. The birds seemed to be moving further away as Arief turned and readied his plane for t