I do not normally post on this forum as I'm not a pilot, but someone who had worked for RR Research and Development for some 20 years at their Parkside Works Coventry.
I Have always had the greatest respect for those who sit at the pointy end, but reading some of the postings on this thread leads me to believe that some are a little short of the full shilling, I have no problem with those who wish to committing suicide in fact I believe that is their human right, but I and other SLF have no wish to accompany them.
It has been stated more times than I care to think of, from both Engine Manufacturers and all of the other "Experts" that go to make your Shiny Alum Tube stay in the air. If even a small amount of volcanic ash is ingested into the engine it will melt in the combustion chamber and probably coat the combustion chamber cooling holes with glass, when that happens the flame just burns out the combustion chamber walls, so V hot gasses bypass the mouth of the chamber and turbine, creating havoc to say the least with the rest of the engine, that is without the problems of molten glass on the turbine blades and stator vanes. blocking the cooling holes on the leading and trailing edges of the vanes . As the combustion gasses temperatures are a lot high than the melting point of engines components not only will the turbine blades and vanes fail or start to melt, but also the compressor walls can be affected all of this leads to basically. No blades, no combustion chamber, no compressor walls, then your big alum tube becomes a very poor glider. Of course this doesn't include the abrasive effect on your big shiny tube and engines If this doesn't convince you doubters, I suggest you nip down to your local Garage or Engineering works and try standing in front of their bead or sand blasting equipment, when you have achieved that ,if there is any remains left of you,then come back here and tell everybody that this grounding is just over reaction, Me after reading some of your comments I have no intension of trusting my worthless life in your hands again, I'll stick to terra firma and I hope now that you experts in flying, will leave the experts in Engineering to advise on what is safest not only for the Aircraft and Engines but also possibly less in you opinion, us SLF
oldie