All of Aurigny’s ATRs now operating fog-busting kit

But it is still not known how effective it will be.

The confirmation came at a recent media briefing by Aurigny chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout.

‘Yesterday we activated the ClearVision technology on the last of the aircraft,’ he said.

The idea for the kit was first put forward in 2018 by former Aurigny chief executive Mark Darby in a bid to cut fog delays. The States agreed to guarantee a $60m. loan to allow the purchase of the three new ATRs, which would be fitted with the ClearVision Enhanced Vision System.

G-OATR, G-OGFC and G-ORAI arrived into the island in late 2019 and early 2020 and were quickly in service, but the fog-busting equipment was not immediately available for use.

Mr Bezuidenhout said the kit still needed to be tested.

‘We will now start doing our circuits and test the system and see what full effect it does have,’ he said. ‘I suppose I’m conservative in my outlook.’

It is hoped it would have a significant impact.

‘But we want to wait and see. We will have that platform fully activated, by the latest end of July, and then we will be able to judge the results.’

In 2019 the airline said it hoped that the technology would be operational by summer 2020, after training started in early 2020. But Covid delayed the implementation.

Each pilot is required to have completed 150 flight hours prior to commencing the ClearVision training. After the pilots had the required experience, they had to undergo further simulator training on the new equipment.

ClearVision uses an external camera to display an augmented outside view in real-time to a head-mounted visor worn by the pilot, significantly improving the pilot’s vision.

ATR had forecast that 50% of current ATR flights that were cancelled due to poor visibility would have operated, had they been fitted with the ClearVision system.