safewing
Does anyone know has the improvement in engine technology over the years diminished the risk of volcanic ash?
The improvements in tolerance to rain-hail and/or ice would significantly improve the resistance to Volcanic ash.
However, the most significant improvement is knowledge of what to do if you enter volcanic ash and develop symptoms, i.e. cut back on the operating temperature until the symptoms clear.
It's like telling a a victim of a breathing problem and in a coughing fit from inhaling pollen, dust, etc., to take smaller breaths until the coughing subsides,
Once again, the safety issue is the individual event of entering a cloud and developing sysmptoms and a proper reaction.
The rest of the equation having to do with on-the-ground actions is a operator maintenance issue, which is more of the business that they know best how to address. Costly yes, but dispatching unsafe planes is not likely to be more than an umeasurable blip.