But to be fair to the UK’s biggest airline (yes, that sort of surprised us too) it is trying to ensure that our air travel plans don’t get eclipsed like they did during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010.
After creating the artificial ash cloud 800ft deep measuring 2.8km in diameter by releasing the tonne of volcanic fag ash from an Airbus A400M, its concentration was measured by a small aircraft flying through it.
Then an Airbus A340-300 fitted with an AVOID sensor flew towards the ash cloud and successfully identified the ash from distances of 60km as well as accurately measuring its concentration.
easyJet plans to continue developing the sensor with a view to mounting them on some of its aircraft by the end of 2014, so with explosive volcanic eruptions in Iceland happening on average once every five years, they should just about make it in time.
See the video below to find out more…
Image: Master Films/P. Masclet
