Oh well, still don't really understand why people don't simply keep well clear of erupting volcanos. Even in piston and Britannia days, info was well promulgated by both AIS and Met offices. By the time I retired, we were getting Sat photos as well. Must have been around 1997, I sat next to Eric Moody in class during one of our BA bi-annual three day tech, briefings and two day simulator sessions. He was well regarded in his expertise out side flying.... maybe law? A big company, and so this was the first time I had met him. We both had been skippers on 744s for at least seven or eight years by then, and I thought it impolite to badger him for first hand recollections. Had been back on 1-11s at Hurn until they were grounded in 2002. Then spent a few months back on 742s after a pre-scrap five were purchased from BA. One of the them was the famous 747 'Glider'.... seemed to run ok..