The US low-cost airline JetBlue will be retrofitting its entire Airbus fleet with noise-reducing vortex generators. These small devices disrupt wind over ports on the aircraft's wings which can produce a “whistling” tone during approach into an airport.
The airline has had these vortex generators installed on all the new aircraft it has received since the start of 2015. Now the carrier has decided to add the gizmos to its 138 remaining Airbus A320 family aircraft through 2021. The fitting will be done at the same time as the aircraft's usual scheduled heavy maintenance checks.
"While the airline industry has benefited from advances in technology and efficiency leading to quieter planes and engines, the work is never done,” said Joe Bertapelle, Director Strategic Airspace Programs, JetBlue. “We’re pleased to incorporate this advancement across our Airbus fleet."
