I am really interested to hear from all those folk who posted on here lambasting anyone who dared suggest that this whole exersize was an overreaction. Will they be strapping into their respective rides when they're next rostered even if the 'plume' is still floating about?? Just curious...
Speaking as a jet Captain with nearly forty years experience and over twenty years in the left hand seat of jet airliners I am more than delighted to see sensible reason overcome 'Teflon coated beurocracy'.
The simple truth is that we have seen what could have been the end of European Aviation as we know it. Without reasonable assesment risk and flight evaluation based on true fact and not computer models we could have obliterated commercial aviation in the UK. The unpronouncable volcano could, and might contue to erupt for years to come. What were we supposed to do? Go back one hundred years?
I am more than happy to take to the skies with passengers on board, and would have done so from day one. It was obvious that whilst we needed to evaluate the erosion and long term effects on engines there was no reason that so long as we kept well away from the core cloud we were at no more danger than in every day life.
The sooner we stop living in a 'Health and Safety' bubble fuelled by lawyers ever ready to make a buck on the slightest excuse of liablility the better. Sadly I doubt it will be in my lifetime.