Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
28 April 2011 12:35
EasyJet is hoping to installing volcanic ash cloud detection systems on its planes
EasyJet hopes to do everything it can to prevent last year's ash cloud disaster from reoccurring.
The low-cost carrier is looking at installing ash detection systems on its planes.
The airline said earlier that it planned to have the detection system known as Avoid, (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) installed on 12 of its planes by 2010.
Although there has been some progress, the technology has not yet been installed on any passenger aircraft.
With the Easter break coming up, travellers planning summer getaways should ensure they have a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
The Avoid system comprises infra-red technology that when fitted to aircraft, provides images to pilots and flight control centres.
The images help pilots detect an ash cloud, up to 60 miles ahead of the plane and at altitudes of between 5,000ft and 50,000ft, allowing them to change course and avoid the cloud.
EasyJet was one of the many airlines hit in April last year following the Icelandic ash cloud crisis which saw airports shut and thousands of flights cancelled.
The budget airline is investing £1 million in Avoid, which is the brainchild of scientist Fred Pata, of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.
EasyJet said the Avoid prototype is ready for testing but needs approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency is also hoping for financial support by the European Commission. EasyJet is working on both these objectives.
08 December 2018
Providing better conditions for disabled passengers is one of the main aims of a proposed new charter for airlines and airports.
[more...]
07 December 2018
Women who don't attend cervical screenings should be offered testing kits they can use at home, new research suggests.
06 December 2018
Ryanair could be slapped with enforcement action from the airline regulator after it refused compensation for passengers hit by flight disruption caused by staff taking strike action.
05 December 2018
Protein supplements and muscle training could be the most effective ways to delay or reverse the effects of frailty, a new study suggests.
04 December 2018
Mumford and Sons bassist Ted Dwane has helped create a new exhibition to raise awareness of the loneliness felt by people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
01 December 2018
A leading charity has praised the actions of Lloyd Russell-Moyle, saying the Labour MP had "done everybody a service" by disclosing his HIV status.
30 November 2018
Sweating out the daily stresses in a sauna could be linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in people aged 50 and over, according to a new study.
29 November 2018
Hitting the Copacabana could soon become a more realistic aim for holidaymakers, with Norwegian set to become the first budget airline to operate UK-Brazil flights.
28 November 2018
Holidaymakers on the UK's proposed new high-speed trainline could have their Amazon packages delivered directly to their seat, according to a train manufacturer.
27 November 2018
Over half of UK frontline medical staff worry their hospitals won't be able to keep patients safe this winter, according to an "alarming" new survey.
24 November 2018
Patients who suffer from a severe form of stroke should be offered a procedure to remove the blood clot up to a day after the onset of their symptoms, draft new guidelines suggest.
23 November 2018
Rising obesity levels have led to a record number of youngsters being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a leading charity has warned.