Airline tries to AVOID ash shutdowns
Source: Agencies |
June 5, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
EUROPEAN low-cost airline easyJet PLC has unveiled plans to fit its planes with radar to detect volcanic ash.
EasyJet said yesterday the devices -- designed to be placed on the tail fin and detect ash within 100 kilometers -- are the first of its kind and could prevent a repeat of the shutdown of European airspace last month caused by an erupting Icelandic volcano.
The airline is spending 1 million pounds (US$1.46 million) developing and testing the technology with aircraft manufacturer Airbus and hopes to trial the devices in a dozen of its planes by the end of the year.
The AVOID -- Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector -- technology involves a lightweight infrared device that supplies images to both the pilots and an airline's flight control center, enabling pilots to see an ash cloud at altitudes between 1,500 meters and 15,000 meters.
"This pioneering technology is the silver bullet that will make large-scale ash disruption history," easyJet CEO Andy Harrison said in London. "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."
However, the devices will need approval from regulators across Europe and industrywide adoption to have a significant effect.
The unprecedented closure of European airspace in April caused direct losses of more than 1 billion euros (US$1.3 billion) to the airlines affected, and as much as 1.5 billion euros to other businesses.
Millions of passengers were stranded as flights were canceled, turning to boats, trains and cars to get to their destinations.
Few doubt that flying a plane directly into the plumes of a volcano could disable the aircraft. But it remains unclear whether the abrasive particles present a hazard to the jets outside the immediate area of the volcanic plume, once it is dispersed by high-altitude winds.
Airlines have blamed European regulators for overreacting to what they say was a manageable threat and have demanded that internationally recognized standards of ash contamination be set.
EasyJet, which lost 55-75 million pounds because of the closure, is one of a number of airlines seeking compensation from governments.
EasyJet plans to carry out its first test flight on an Airbus A340 test plane within two months.
EasyJet said yesterday the devices -- designed to be placed on the tail fin and detect ash within 100 kilometers -- are the first of its kind and could prevent a repeat of the shutdown of European airspace last month caused by an erupting Icelandic volcano.
The airline is spending 1 million pounds (US$1.46 million) developing and testing the technology with aircraft manufacturer Airbus and hopes to trial the devices in a dozen of its planes by the end of the year.
The AVOID -- Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector -- technology involves a lightweight infrared device that supplies images to both the pilots and an airline's flight control center, enabling pilots to see an ash cloud at altitudes between 1,500 meters and 15,000 meters.
"This pioneering technology is the silver bullet that will make large-scale ash disruption history," easyJet CEO Andy Harrison said in London. "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."
However, the devices will need approval from regulators across Europe and industrywide adoption to have a significant effect.
The unprecedented closure of European airspace in April caused direct losses of more than 1 billion euros (US$1.3 billion) to the airlines affected, and as much as 1.5 billion euros to other businesses.
Millions of passengers were stranded as flights were canceled, turning to boats, trains and cars to get to their destinations.
Few doubt that flying a plane directly into the plumes of a volcano could disable the aircraft. But it remains unclear whether the abrasive particles present a hazard to the jets outside the immediate area of the volcanic plume, once it is dispersed by high-altitude winds.
Airlines have blamed European regulators for overreacting to what they say was a manageable threat and have demanded that internationally recognized standards of ash contamination be set.
EasyJet, which lost 55-75 million pounds because of the closure, is one of a number of airlines seeking compensation from governments.
EasyJet plans to carry out its first test flight on an Airbus A340 test plane within two months.
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