Thu, Jan 05, 2012
April 2010 Eruption Of Eyjafjallajökull Caused Massive
Financial Losses
Der Spiegel reports that the eruption of Iceland's
Eyjafjallajökull volcano in April of 2010 resulted in the
greatest closure of European airspace since World War II, stranded
millions of passengers, and caused losses of 5 billion euro. It
also led to clashes between the airlines, which sustained heavy
financial losses, and regulators set on guaranteeing safety
regardless of costs. The eruption led to renewed discussion of just
how much volcanic ash really threatens airline safety, and the
development of new technologies to better match the response to the
risk.
Easyjet, a budget airline, now says it plans to equip 20 of its
planes with a device called "Avoid," developed by Fred Prata of the
Norwegian Institute for Air Research. The device claims to be able
to discern between rain clouds and ash clouds at 20 kilometers out,
or about 12 miles. It uses a wing-mounted carbon tube and two
infrared cameras to detect silicate, the ingredient of volcanic ash
of most concern in turbine engines.
A German research team flew a piston plane into an ash cloud
produced last month by Italy's Mt. Etna, and confirmed Avoid's
detection technique by comparing results to those of a laser
spectrometer. Further tests are planned, but are contingent on the
next significant volcanic eruption.
Katla, a volcano near the one which cased the massive problems
in 2010, is considered due for an eruption which could dwarf that
of Eyjafjallajökull. Easyjet says if 100 airliners across
Europe could be equipped with Avoid, "then we would achieve a
comprehensive safeguard for Europe."
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