Masdar and Etihad unite to beat fog

Airline to team up with Masdar Institute in attempt to devise ways to minimise fog.

Between October and April, thick blankets of fog can force runways at Abu Dhabi International Airport to close, keeping outbound aircraft on the ground as incoming services are diverted to other airports. Rob Gurdebeke / The NationalShow less

ABU DHABI // Anyone who flies to or from Abu Dhabi International Airport regularly will be aware that heavy winter fog can throw operations into chaos.

Between October and April, thick blankets of fog can force runways to close, keeping outbound aircraft on the ground as incoming services are diverted to other airports.

Help could be at hand, however, thanks to a tie-up between Etihad Airways and researchers at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.

The Abu Dhabi research centre will work with Etihad to develop a system, using satellite data and other information, that will allow the airline to know in advance when fog is likely to form and disperse, thus helping officials to plan ahead to minimise disruption.

On Sunday, at the start of the UAE’s Innovation Week 2015, an agreement for the research project was signed between Chris Youlten, Etihad’s senior vice president for network operations, and Dr Behjat Al Yousuf, Masdar Institute’s interim provost.

After a “very challenging” fog season last winter, Mr Youlten said the airline wanted to improve its contingency planning.

As the airline grew, he said, it had to develop more sophisticated operational practices – something which required the help of others in developing a more scientific approach to readiness for dealing with fog.

“The research and development being done at the Masdar Institute offers Etihad Airways a unique opportunity to work with the scientific community in developing an innovative solution tailored to meet our operational needs,” he said.

“Meteorological forecasting allows for a proactive approach, but even when we are working to a timeframe of fog, we can’t see it coming until it is in our midst.”

Heavy fog at the capital’s airport has long caused headaches for airlines and passengers. It can mean separation distances between inbound aircraft must be increased, causing flights to be delayed or diverted, while at the same time leading to outbound services being delayed or cancelled.

Severe fog can cause all aircraft movements to be suspended, and there have been times when fog has hit for several days in a row at Abu Dhabi International Airport, despite other airports in the country being unaffected.

It often appears early in the morning, a peak time for the airport, and a single bout can cause dozens of flights to be delayed or cancelled.

The airport already has the latest technology to allow operations to continue as smoothly as possible during poor visibility. A radio beam transmitter system known as a Category IIIb Instrument Landing System is said to make landings possible when visibility is down to just 46 metres.

But General Civil Aviation Authority rules impose more stringent visibility requirements, so aircraft movements may be suspended even when visibility is higher than this.

Dr Steve Griffiths, Masdar Institute’s vice president for research, said that the agreement with Etihad demonstrated the institute’s “region-relevant scientific research capabilities”.

“This project aims to detect fog formation well in advance and help the aviation sector mitigate the adverse impacts of bad weather conditions.

“We believe the outcome of this research project will benefit not only the industry but the community as a whole.”

The initiative will be led at Masdar by Dr Marouane Temimi, associate professor of water and environmental engineering and head of the Coastal and Environmental Remote Sensing and Modelling Laboratory. Masdar students studying for master's or PhD degrees may become involved in the project, Towards achieving a fog-ready air-traffic management system for Etihad Airways: Numerical forecast and satellite detection.