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13 December 2011 13:32
EasyJet hopes to install a volcanic ash detection system on its aircraft by next year
Budget airline EasyJet hopes to install a volcanic ash detection system on its aircraft by next year.
The new system called AVOID (airborne volcanic object imaging detector) could help prevent unnecessary disruption from volcanic ash clouds.
AVOID, which has been successfully tested over the constantly active Mount Etna volcano in Sicily and at nearby active volcano island of Stromboli, involves two wing-based infrared cameras that can detect particles of ash in the air up to 60 miles ahead.
Developed by the US military, the technology enables pilots to detect an ash cloud ahead at altitudes between 5,000 and 50,000ft, allowing them to make adjustments to the plane's flight path to avoid any ash cloud.
With the use of the technology, airlines could cut down the number of flight cancellations due to ash clouds and associated travel insurance claims.
The device has been installed on a microlight aircraft which has flown more than 30 hours to test the equipment.
Ian Davies, easyJet's engineering head, said: "The testing of the technology is an exciting next step in the journey to get AVOID on to easyJet aircraft which we hope to do by summer 2012."
15 January 2019
NHS commissioners could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for every patient left waiting more than a year for vital care, new proposals suggest.
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12 January 2019
All UK airports should buy anti-drone technology and not rely on the Royal Air Force to help out, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
10 January 2019
The military was brought in on Tuesday night after police officers saw a drone operating at Heathrow Airport, forcing departures to be suspended for an hour.
11 January 2019
A so-called "drug sponge" that mops up leftover drugs from cancer treatment could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, new research has claimed.
09 January 2019
A hormone released during exercise could help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
08 January 2019
Ryanair has been labelled the worst airline operating in the UK for the sixth year running in a leading consumer group survey.
05 January 2019
Anti-drone technology will be deployed at the UK's two busiest airports in response to the disruption caused before Christmas.
04 January 2019
A new cancer-detecting breathalyser test is being trialled in the UK - in a move that could revolutionise the way the disease is diagnosed.
03 January 2019
The average 10-year-old child will have already eaten more sugar in their life than the maximum amount recommended for 18-year-olds, a new study reveals.
01 January 2019
The number of travellers satisfied with flying has fallen over the last two years over frustration with how airlines handle complaints, new research reveals.
25 December 2018
People are being encouraged to connect with friends, neighbours and others in their community this Christmas to help tackle loneliness.
29 December 2018
Nearly 300 travellers have been arrested over the past two years for being drunk at an airport or on a plane.