British airline Easyjet has announced it is to trial an infrared ash detector to limit future stoppages due to volcanic ash.
The spread of ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland grounded much of European air traffic for nearly a week in April over fears of the effect ash could have on jet engines. There were far fewer closures last month as the cloud dissipated and regulators eased flying restrictions.
The volcano has now gone dormant. However, volcanologists warn it has not gone away and could resume belching out ash and steam at any time. They also point ominously to the nearby Katla volcano, a larger structure that could throw up a much greater ash plume should it begin to erupt.
EasyJet said it would try out the new ash detector in the coming months. The Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector (Avoid) is designed by Norway's Institute for Air Research and uses an infrared radar system which is placed onto an aircraft to supply images to pilots and flight control centres.
These images will allow pilots to see an ash cloud up to 100km (60 miles) ahead of the aircraft and at altitudes between 1,500 and 15,000 metres (5,000 and 50,000 feet), Easyjet said.
"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," Easyjet chief executive Andy Harrison said.
Planes can't fly through volcanic ash because its abrasive effect can strip off vital aerodynamic surfaces and paralyse an aircraft engine. Aircraft avionics and electronics can also be damaged.
The ash is invisible to aircraft weather radar and is often not immediately noticed by pilots
Reuters