Ash Detector Could End Large-Scale Disruption Due To Volcanic Eruptions

The British carrier easyJet is set to become the first airline to test a new technology called AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector). The system places infrared technology onto an aircraft to supply images to both the pilots and an airline’s flight control center ... essentially a weather radar for volcanic ash. It was created by Dr Fred Prata of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU).

The images will enable pilots to see an ash cloud up to 100 km, or about 62 miles, ahead of the aircraft and at altitudes between 5,000ft and 50,000ft. This will allow pilots to make adjustments to the plane’s flight path to avoid any ash cloud. On the ground, information from aircraft with AVOID technology would be used to build an accurate image of the volcanic ash cloud using real time data. This would open up large areas of airspace that would otherwise be closed during a volcanic eruption, which would benefit passengers by minimizing disruption.

“This pioneering technology is the silver bullet that will make large-scale ash disruption history," said easyJet Chief Executive Andy Harrison. "The ash detector will enable our aircraft to see and avoid the ash cloud, just like airborne weather radars and weather maps make thunderstorms visible.”

“AVOID enhances the theory around volcanic ash clouds with live data. easyJet is committed to bring our technology to life,” added Dr Fred Prata, Senior Scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) and inventor of the AVOID system.

Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority said it is essential that the aviation community works together to develop solutions to minimize disruption, should ash return. "The CAA welcomes the fact that airlines are considering innovations such as this and we will do all we can to facilitate them,” Haines said

The first test flight is to be carried out by Airbus on behalf of easyJet within two months, using an Airbus 340 test aircraft. Subject to the results of these tests, easyJet intends to trial the technology on its own aircraft with an eye towards installing it on enough aircraft to minimize future disruption from ash.

FMI: www.easyjet.com, www.nilu.no/index.cfm?lan_id=3