Pace
What do you suggest for long haul operators???
BBK
Going back over 50 years of aviation the few serious dense ash encounters have been at night. There have been NO serious daylight encounters.
Over the UK at this time of year we have daylight as early as 0500 until 2200 when most movements have occured meaning that aircraft arriving or departing the UK do so in daylight.
Obviously if the volcanic eruptions continue into the winter we will have a much worse problem as our daylight is from approx 0800 to 1600
As long as long haul arrive or depart into UK airspace between 0500 and 2200 they should be operating in daylight at the moment.
One other consideration is the 50 years without an ASH caused fatality. We talk as if this phenomina is new which it isnt. Jet aircraft of 20+ years ago did not have the technology or the sophisticated ash mapping that we have today yet the record still remains spotless regarding fatalities caused by ash.
There are other threats which do bring aircraft down on a continuing and regular basis and which we accept as pilots but to date ASH is not one of them.
Pace