Wed, Jun 09, 2010
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.
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