Collins Aerospace's next-generation Enhanced Vision sensor has been selected to be integrated into Airbus' Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). EFVS will become a selectable option on Airbus commercial aircraft, expanding approach capability and increasing flight situational awareness during reduced visibility conditions. The EFVS option, with the Collins EVS sensor, will be offered first on the A320 aircraft, with the intention to offer this solution on other platforms in the future.

The EFVS will use input from the Collins Aerospace sensor, mounted on the nose of the aircraft, to create an augmented reality view of the outside world. The sensor uses multiple infrared and visible light cameras to "see through" poor visibility conditions better than the human eye. When the pilots view this camera video on head-up displays, it allows them to better identify the runway environment in all weather conditions — helping pilots overcome many flight disruptions often created by fog or precipitation. In addition, because the technology enables pilots to reduce delays on the runway and in the air, it actively reduces the amount of carbon emissions created by the aircraft.

"Thanks to new EFVS regulations, we're able to leverage this technology for airlines across the globe that want to optimise their operations," said Dave Nieuwsma, president of Avionics for Collins Aerospace. "Airbus operators who adopt EFVS will enjoy a competitive advantage that directly translates into improved on-time performance, operational cost and fuel savings."

In addition, EFVS will also ease instrument to visual transition and provide enhanced situational awareness, in particular for "night Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC)" conditions, and/or terrain, as well as lateral alignment on the runway, traffic and runway surface identification.

The next-generation EVS sensor will also be available for retrofit on existing in-service Airbus aircraft.