Volcanic ash cloud and Private / VFR flying (merged)
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From: An ATC centre this side of the moon.
Volcanic ash cloud and Private / VFR flying (merged)
With most of the UK airspace closed to IFR flight today due the volcanic ash cloud it could be a good day to explore with of course ATC clearance airspace that on normal days you would not have gained clearance into....what a chance to get a clearance to overfly your local major airfield.....would be interesting to hear if many take the opportunity or even if the opportunity will exist!! 
Thread Starter
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From: An ATC centre this side of the moon.
MJ.......Yea I know that but the ash levels seem to be remaining high, I think the Scottish sigmet yesterday eve said between FL050 and FL350...I guess at 90kts the windscreen would not suffer??...Anyway I wonder if Loganair manage to operate all their flights VFR today.....
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From: EuroGA.org
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Nah mate the windscreens are made out of plastic. The ash is basically very fine particles of glass. The big aircraft screens are made out of glass and they get eaten by it. 90knts glass particles against plastic will just pit and I would imagine its not outside the range of possibilty to actually eat right the way through. Even if you flying in clear air there will still be particles dropping out below causing damage.
All your paint work will be shot blasted as well.
And the particles would also get sucked up into the engine. The filter might be able to take some of them out but as soon as you use the carb heat you will get them into the cylinders, the liners are very soft, you will basically turn your oil system into a liquid emery scourer (Emery paper which we call sandpaper is made out of volcanic ash)
All your paint work will be shot blasted as well.
And the particles would also get sucked up into the engine. The filter might be able to take some of them out but as soon as you use the carb heat you will get them into the cylinders, the liners are very soft, you will basically turn your oil system into a liquid emery scourer (Emery paper which we call sandpaper is made out of volcanic ash)
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I was also thinking about starting thread on the subject as well
Basically is particals of emery.
If it did get into your engine I would imagine it would just scoure it to death pretty sharpish.
I would also imagine as well that alot of cars are going to be screwed by this as well.
Basically is particals of emery.
If it did get into your engine I would imagine it would just scoure it to death pretty sharpish.
I would also imagine as well that alot of cars are going to be screwed by this as well.
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From: Worcestershire, UK
The current ASHTAM states as follows:
No idea how to access the referenced "VA ADVISORY" though, any clues anyone? Edit: The VA advisory is in fact the Met office notification linked by IO540 above 
A VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD, ORIGINATING IN ICELAND, IS HAVING A
MAJOR IMPACT AFFECTING UK AIRSPACE. UK AREA AFFECTED:
610000N 0100000W 610000N 0000000W 600000N 0000000W
570000N 0050000E 550000N 0050000E 530409N 0031619W
521700N 0004400W 512200N 0041300W 521000N 0062900W
535605N 0053533W 563400N 0040700W 591000N 0052400W
603243N 0100000W 610000N 0100000W SFC/UNL
OPR SHOULD REFER TO VA ADVISORY 20100415/0600 FOR FURTHER INFO.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH ICAO VOLCANIC ASH CONTINGENCY PLAN, NO IFR
CLEARANCE WILL BE ISSUED FOR PENETRATION OF THE FORECAST
CONTAMINATED AREA THAT LIES WITHIN UK AIRSPACE.
MAJOR IMPACT AFFECTING UK AIRSPACE. UK AREA AFFECTED:
610000N 0100000W 610000N 0000000W 600000N 0000000W
570000N 0050000E 550000N 0050000E 530409N 0031619W
521700N 0004400W 512200N 0041300W 521000N 0062900W
535605N 0053533W 563400N 0040700W 591000N 0052400W
603243N 0100000W 610000N 0100000W SFC/UNL
OPR SHOULD REFER TO VA ADVISORY 20100415/0600 FOR FURTHER INFO.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH ICAO VOLCANIC ASH CONTINGENCY PLAN, NO IFR
CLEARANCE WILL BE ISSUED FOR PENETRATION OF THE FORECAST
CONTAMINATED AREA THAT LIES WITHIN UK AIRSPACE.
Last edited by Mariner9; 15th April 2010 at 08:29. Reason: Stupidity
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From: In the boot of my car!
Where it will land who knows
I am sure when the scientists note a dramatic increase in carbon levels GB will use that as another vindication and that global warming is all man made.
That little explosion has put more carbon into the atmosphere than ten years of the man made stuff.
Pace
Last edited by Pace; 15th April 2010 at 08:54.
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Aye that volcano will have chucked more gases into the air than anything Brown will have done to help the enviroment.
Going to be interesting how long this thing is going to last.
The amount of ash thats up there already is quite small but the thing doesn't seem to be running out of steam. The ash is also up there before summer so next winter could be a right freezing job. If that high pushes the ash up into the artic high and dumps it on the ice cap that could speed up its melting. So the flights getting grounded for a week might be the least of our worries.
Going to be interesting how long this thing is going to last.
The amount of ash thats up there already is quite small but the thing doesn't seem to be running out of steam. The ash is also up there before summer so next winter could be a right freezing job. If that high pushes the ash up into the artic high and dumps it on the ice cap that could speed up its melting. So the flights getting grounded for a week might be the least of our worries.
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From: An ATC centre this side of the moon.
Mad Jock.....OH bugger does that mean I have to take the push bike to work??? 
Anyway whats all the panic about, I thought you were used to flying through dust??
Anyway whats all the panic about, I thought you were used to flying through dust??
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From: North West UK
I thought piston engines had filters? So apart from when using carb heat, the ash should be trapped by the filters.... But I think I'll hang fire until we know how long and just HOW bad the situation turns out to be...
And what about all the military aircraft? Jets don't have filters! Are we at risk?
And what about all the military aircraft? Jets don't have filters! Are we at risk?
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I am but its dust which has had a couple of million of years to get all the sharp edges smoothed off it. Also as well we had a new prop put on 4 months ago and it s been stripped of paint and looks like its been on for 5 years flying in Scotland.
And personally if the ash does start to fall I would stick your own car in the garage and rent one.
And personally if the ash does start to fall I would stick your own car in the garage and rent one.