Volcanic ash troubles.

[t_a_h 0]

what a hype! Dont know if this ash realy as any effect on the engines and sensores. But that can be analyzed by probeing aircrafts flying the typical flightlevels of airliners to check that out. Sure, it's a safety action grounding all a/c traffic, but if there is almost none safety issue after analysing the probes, the normal bussiness should start again.I guess the ash cloud density just around island and northern UK and sweden is too thick but elsewhere the density has changed to an safe level for normal operations.Just my thoughts.

[badderjet 181]

But they did so below 10.000 feet and flying VFR.

One question to the real life gurus here. I once was told that the bigger stuff like 737/320+ was not certified for VFR. How does that go together with those flights. I understand the weather here in Germany has been Premium VFR Deluxe for the past couple days, incredible. Still I was wondering if they needed a special permission for those big planes or not. I know that all VFR flight are permitted as usual, at pilot's discretion, but I am curious about the jets flying VFR.And talking about today, some of the LH flights even went up to 24000'. They even had an MD-11 go FRA-IST-FRA with absolutely no indication of ash. And most certainly this flight was also not conducted below 10K... Other than that I witnessed six jets depart FRA around 1915Z in quick succession, most of them Condor, but I have no idea where they were going. Some airports were partly reopened this afternoon, but should have been closed at 1900Z again. Raises even more questions for me. :( Anyways, now it's all silent again around FRA here. What a chaos haha. :(

[gman! 1]

This the first and the last time I will probably witness something this large in my lifetime. Unless what my 8th Grade Chemistry teacher, a doomsday fanatic, said was true http://www.2012finalfantasy.com/2008/yello...upervolcano.phpEnjoying my clear skies in the USA while I can :(! Take that Europe! Our will the same happen to us soon? :( Just kidding, I love scaring people. We are all fine. There are other methods of transportation which may be slower but get the job done at the end of the day. In contrast to the doomsday responses here, I actually heard that there were several test flights today by airlines. None found any problems or volcanic ash coming near their aircraft. Some airlines expect to restore operations soon!

[t_a_h 0]

A funny thought crossed my mind... what if it is about a virus spreading? Spreading and is so bad and dangerous, all airports have to be closed, so it cannot go this fast from country to country? I mean, there seems to be this ash cloud - but very little sign about a real danger. Why not allow the airlines to fly below a certain FL, so the A/Cs are in little as possible danger from the ash? Ok, not as many planes as usualy could fly, but still some could and transport passengers. Yes, it would be a little more expensive to fly so low, but better fly low than not flying at all!

[t_a_h 0]

Ok, seems to be realy a real danger...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8628878.stm

[byork 2,260]

Ok, seems to be realy a real danger...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8628878.stm

The move was announced after the UK's emergency committee Cobra met to discuss options in addressing travel chaos caused by a volcanic ash cloud.

Britons can sleep easy tonight knowing that "Cobra" is looking out for them... seriously, who comes up with these names?

[BillCusick 75]

Hi Byork<< Britons can sleep easy tonight knowing that "Cobra" is looking out for them... seriously, who comes up with these names ? >>'Cobra' is actually 'COBR' - The 'Cabinet Office Briefing Room'. It is usually staffed in emergencies by the military, government advisors and scientists whenever advice is required during those emergencies. :( http://wiki.intellectuk.org/sr/index.php/C...fing_Room_(COBR)RegardsBillCFormby, UK0.9nm SW R 03 EGOW Core 2 Duo E6700 2.67GHz Scythe Infinity CPU Cooler Asus P5B Deluxe Motherboard Corsair XMS2-6400 C4 TwinX PC2-6400 4GB Dual Channel Interleaved Gainward Geforce 8800 GTS 640MB with Forceware v100.65 Samsung SH-W183 18x18 DVD

[t_a_h 0]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/today/tomfeilde...is_it_safe.htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8629051.stm

[oldbear 33]

Funny how you get used to something different so quickly. I live 10 miles from Heathrow and work near London City Airport. I've not seen a plane or contrail in the sky for days, and for nearly all my life I have been used to lots of planes in the sky. On Sunday evening I heard a solitary jet pass overhead, which I later found out was a BA test flight to Cardiff. And that's been it. Commuting into London past an utterly quiet EGLL and empty approach roads has been very strange indeed. Something to remember definitely...Ian

[t_a_h 0]

yea right, ought to take pictures from empty roads of the airport and surrounding area! Something for telling stories to your kids later...!And just for fun, go to dover and take pictures of the flogs of travelers leaving the ferries and trains...!On sunday my wife asked me if we could visit EDDH - I was ROFL, asking her what she wanna photograph there... emptyness, the returning echo crashing you? Filled up parking lots and gateways? Well, we should have done that, just for telling our kids in 20 years what chaos that was! :( :(

[badderjet 181]

yea right, ought to take pictures from empty roads of the airport and surrounding area! Something for telling stories to your kids later...!And just for fun, go to dover and take pictures of the flogs of travelers leaving the ferries and trains...!On sunday my wife asked me if we could visit EDDH - I was ROFL, asking her what she wanna photograph there... emptyness, the returning echo crashing you? Filled up parking lots and gateways? Well, we should have done that, just for telling our kids in 20 years what chaos that was! :( :(

The other day I did visit EDDF - just to capture the spirit so to speak. Even went out on the visitors terrace. Pretty amazing to 1) be the only person out there and 2) hear like absolutely nothing out there. No engines, no APUs. Quite unreal! Although - suddenly I heard music, obviously from a radio. I had a hard time to figure out where it came from, but apparently from a car with open doors, down on the apron, like 50 meters away, where some mechanic worked at an A340. Definately something you would not be able to hear on any other usual day.Since I live really close to the airport I definately miss aircraft noise, although I do have to admit I simply enjoy the craziness of the situation having complete blue skies at the moment. Incredible.

[victorwest2 0]

Cosidering this seems to be one of the worst things to happen to the aviation industry for many years I'm surprised that this thread isn't even longer. I'm also surprised that most of the posts (as far as I can see) seem to be from this side of the pond. I always thought that Avsim had a large US base. Do they know about what's going on?

[n4gix 4,961]

Cosidering this seems to be one of the worst things to happen to the aviation industry for many years I'm surprised that this thread isn't even longer. I'm also surprised that most of the posts (as far as I can see) seem to be from this side of the pond. I always thought that Avsim had a large US base. Do they know about what's going on?

Of course "we" are aware of "what's going on..." How could we not when it's mentioned on all of the news channels at least every ten minutes or so... :( The economic and social chaos from this natural disaster will be trickling down for years, and will quite possibly be the proximate cause for a lot of business failures, layoffs and other losses even in the most remote and unlikely places in the world...Consider for example what's happening to all of the perishible goods that're now mouldering and/or spoiling, because they can't be shipped?How about critically needed medicines that're not being shipped?This has enormous consequences for everyone, not just those travelers who're being inconvenienced!For example, the flowers that were to be shipped are wilted. This impacts the gardener who's now lost the income from the sale, the shipper who's lost the revenue from the shipment, as well as the flower seller who loses sales because they didn't receive the shipment......and that's not even considering the loss of import/export duties on the shipment for the various governments involved...

[gman! 1]

Of course "we" are aware of "what's going on..." How could we not when it's mentioned on all of the news channels at least every ten minutes or so... :( The economic and social chaos from this natural disaster will be trickling down for years, and will quite possibly be the proximate cause for a lot of business failures, layoffs and other losses even in the most remote and unlikely places in the world...Consider for example what's happening to all of the perishible goods that're now mouldering and/or spoiling, because they can't be shipped?How about critically needed medicines that're not being shipped?This has enormous consequences for everyone, not just those travelers who're being inconvenienced!For example, the flowers that were to be shipped are wilted. This impacts the gardener who's now lost the income from the sale, the shipper who's lost the revenue from the shipment, as well as the flower seller who loses sales because they didn't receive the shipment......and that's not even considering the loss of import/export duties on the shipment for the various governments involved...

Very true, the America media repeats the same news OVER and OVER and OVER again. When the suspected plane bombing happened in December, they talked about it nonstop for over 2 weeks!! Also when the east coast had multiple large snow storms and blizzards the news was beating a dead horse. It would be awesome if American news would go into detail about WHY planes are in danger when they fly through volcanic ash (possibly some kind of 3-10 minute special or something on the news?) , but instead they repeat exactly the same regurgitated "news." .... No wonder my dad watches BBC (at least they go into detail about planes and have documentaries!)

[out 769]

No wonder my dad watches BBC

Exactly what I do in case I need to. Polish news is also #*@&.