Helicopters and Volcanic Ash?
Avoid imitations
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Double Bogey, The point you are missing is that the entire FIR was closed as a broadbrush reaction with no conclusive research done. It will be re-opened in the same manner.
As a NS pilot you have the comfortable position of a relatively large organisation plus a union to back you up and can take no personal responsibility for risk assessment. Others don't and must make their own assessment. Me included.
If you think this reaction by the authorities was much more than a huge backside covering issue, look at the additional requirements now demanded to begin use of Battersea heliport again. I'm beginning to think they want no trade at all.
As a NS pilot you have the comfortable position of a relatively large organisation plus a union to back you up and can take no personal responsibility for risk assessment. Others don't and must make their own assessment. Me included.
If you think this reaction by the authorities was much more than a huge backside covering issue, look at the additional requirements now demanded to begin use of Battersea heliport again. I'm beginning to think they want no trade at all.
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Shytorque, I agree with your viewpoint.
From the beginning it was clear that the "no risk" position taken by those who hold office and responsibility, meant a wholly different risk than that meant by those at the pointy end.
It is the "one fell swoop" approach that leaves us with no options, and no confidence in the supposed "knowledge" and "professionality" of decision makers.
Swine flu panic and Millenium Bug have been mentioned as well; more examples of huge overreaction of decision makers unwilling to open themselves up to potential claims after using good judgement and not pleasing everybody.
What has happened is that unlike many compressors, trust has been eroded to the point where replacement is due. Next time someting big comes around, many if not most people will automatically go into sceptic mode because of experiences like this.
That is where the real danger lies, in my opinion.
Nobody advocated flight through the big ashcloud. But to have an emergency response plan without any flex to take into account what happens in the real world to and with real people, is sheer folly.
It is nice to sit on your backside knowing that you are protected by the lack of alternatives. But for many that is not the case, and while nobody wants to risk life and limb, there is a grea area that needs to be defined. For the next time, because it will happen again. Somewhere soon.
From the beginning it was clear that the "no risk" position taken by those who hold office and responsibility, meant a wholly different risk than that meant by those at the pointy end.
It is the "one fell swoop" approach that leaves us with no options, and no confidence in the supposed "knowledge" and "professionality" of decision makers.
Swine flu panic and Millenium Bug have been mentioned as well; more examples of huge overreaction of decision makers unwilling to open themselves up to potential claims after using good judgement and not pleasing everybody.
What has happened is that unlike many compressors, trust has been eroded to the point where replacement is due. Next time someting big comes around, many if not most people will automatically go into sceptic mode because of experiences like this.
That is where the real danger lies, in my opinion.
Nobody advocated flight through the big ashcloud. But to have an emergency response plan without any flex to take into account what happens in the real world to and with real people, is sheer folly.
It is nice to sit on your backside knowing that you are protected by the lack of alternatives. But for many that is not the case, and while nobody wants to risk life and limb, there is a grea area that needs to be defined. For the next time, because it will happen again. Somewhere soon.
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
What's all that about?
2009 Press Releases
Despite the above, and still being in the red area until 1200Z tomorrow, (according to the most recent charts) how come I've just seen a Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, D-IEGO, depart on 33?
Photo Search Results | Airliners.net
Note: It has 2x PW615F turbofans
Cessna Citation Mustang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Commercial pressures?
Due to Volcanic activity in Iceland, there will be no flights in or out of Birmingham Airport until at least 1AM Wednesday 21st April.
Photo Search Results | Airliners.net
Note: It has 2x PW615F turbofans
Cessna Citation Mustang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Operators
The aircraft is operated by private individuals, companies and executive charter operators. A number of companies also use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs.
The aircraft is operated by private individuals, companies and executive charter operators. A number of companies also use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs.
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BREAKING NEWS
CAA: ALL UK Airports to open at 22:00 tonight
UK?S INDEPENDENT AVIATION REGULATOR ISSUES GUIDANCE TO OPEN AIRSPACE WITH SAFETY RESTRICTIONS | CAA Newsroom | CAA
BBC:
BBC News - UK airports set to reopen
All UK airports can reopen from 2200 BST on Tuesday, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said.
Lord Adonis made the statement after consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and a reassessment of the risk to aircraft from volcanic ash.
Some restrictions will remain in place, but they will be much smaller than those enforced under the current ban.
Lord Adonis said after the ban was lifted it would be up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track.
Dame Deirdre Hutton of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said there had been detailed consultation with experts to reassess the tolerance of planes to the ash cloud.
Lord Adonis emphasised that safety remained paramount.
He said: "It is essential that we guarantee to the travelling public that the airlines are safe and that planes can safely fly."
CAA: ALL UK Airports to open at 22:00 tonight
UK?S INDEPENDENT AVIATION REGULATOR ISSUES GUIDANCE TO OPEN AIRSPACE WITH SAFETY RESTRICTIONS | CAA Newsroom | CAA
BBC:
BBC News - UK airports set to reopen
All UK airports can reopen from 2200 BST on Tuesday, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said.
Lord Adonis made the statement after consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and a reassessment of the risk to aircraft from volcanic ash.
Some restrictions will remain in place, but they will be much smaller than those enforced under the current ban.
Lord Adonis said after the ban was lifted it would be up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track.
Dame Deirdre Hutton of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said there had been detailed consultation with experts to reassess the tolerance of planes to the ash cloud.
Lord Adonis emphasised that safety remained paramount.
He said: "It is essential that we guarantee to the travelling public that the airlines are safe and that planes can safely fly."
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Its All Over
BBC News - UK airports set to reopen
Unless they mean 2200, as in 190 years time
UK airports to reopen from 2200
All UK airports can re-open from 2200 BST, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said.
Lord Adonis made the statement after consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and a reassessment of the risk to aircraft from volcanic ash.
Some restrictions will remain in place, but they will be much smaller than those enforced under the current ban.
Lord Adonis said after the ban was lifted it would be up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track
All UK airports can re-open from 2200 BST, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said.
Lord Adonis made the statement after consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and a reassessment of the risk to aircraft from volcanic ash.
Some restrictions will remain in place, but they will be much smaller than those enforced under the current ban.
Lord Adonis said after the ban was lifted it would be up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track
Unless they mean 2200, as in 190 years time
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Why 2200hrs?
Why not 2100hrs or 'with immediate effect'.
I guess maybe it's to give me time to have some beans on toast!
Happy flying y'all, shame sunset has gone for some of us
I guess maybe it's to give me time to have some beans on toast!
Happy flying y'all, shame sunset has gone for some of us
This seems to be the link allowing operator discretion:-
UK'S INDEPENDENT AVIATION REGULATOR ISSUES GUIDANCE TO OPEN AIRSPACE WITH SAFETY RESTRICTIONS | CAA Newsroom | CAA
UK'S INDEPENDENT AVIATION REGULATOR ISSUES GUIDANCE TO OPEN AIRSPACE WITH SAFETY RESTRICTIONS | CAA Newsroom | CAA
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UKs independent specialist regulator with oversight of aviation safety, today issues new guidance on the use of airspace. This is issued in conjunction with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and covers the Anglo Irish Functional Airspace Block (FAB).
The new guidance allows a phased reintroduction from 2200 tonight of much of the airspace which is currently closed due to the volcanic ash plume over the UK. There will continue to be some no fly zones where concentrations of ash are at levels unsafe for flights to take place, but very much smaller than the present restrictions. Furthermore, the Met Office advise that the no fly zones do not currently cover the UK.
Making sure that air travellers can fly safely is the CAAs overriding priority.
The CAA has drawn together many of the worlds top aviation engineers and experts to find a way to tackle this immense challenge, unknown in the UK and Europe in living memory. Current international procedures recommend avoiding volcano ash at all times. In this case owing to the magnitude of the ash cloud, its position over Europe and the static weather conditions most of the EU airspace had to close and aircraft could not be physically routed around the problem area as there was no space to do so. We had to ensure, in a situation without precedent, that decisions made were based on a thorough gathering of data and analysis by experts. This evidence based approach helped to validate a new standard that is now being adopted across Europe.
The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash. Manufacturers have now agreed increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas.
Our way forward is based on international data and evidence from previous volcanic ash incidents, new data collected from test flights and additional analysis from manufacturers over the past few days. It is a conservative model allowing a significant buffer on top of the level the experts feel may pose a risk.
In addition, the CAAs Revised Airspace Guidance requires airlines to:
· conduct their own risk assessment and develop operational procedures to address any remaining risks;
· put in place an intensive maintenance ash damage inspection before and after each flight; and
· report any ash related incidents to a reporting scheme run by the CAA.
The CAA will also continue to monitor the situation with tests both in the air and on the ground.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The CAAs Revised Airspace Guidance will be based on new engine ash tolerance levels and will apply to low ash density areas identified by the Met Office. This information will be circulated on a six hourly basis. Areas where ash levels are at ³ 10-16, plus a sixty mile buffer zone, will remain no fly zones.
2. The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Its activities include: making sure that the aviation industry meets the highest technical and operational safety standards; preventing holidaymakers from being stranded abroad or losing money because of tour operator insolvency; planning and regulating all UK airspace; and regulating airports, air traffic services and airlines and providing advice on aviation policy from an economic standpoint.
The new guidance allows a phased reintroduction from 2200 tonight of much of the airspace which is currently closed due to the volcanic ash plume over the UK. There will continue to be some no fly zones where concentrations of ash are at levels unsafe for flights to take place, but very much smaller than the present restrictions. Furthermore, the Met Office advise that the no fly zones do not currently cover the UK.
Making sure that air travellers can fly safely is the CAAs overriding priority.
The CAA has drawn together many of the worlds top aviation engineers and experts to find a way to tackle this immense challenge, unknown in the UK and Europe in living memory. Current international procedures recommend avoiding volcano ash at all times. In this case owing to the magnitude of the ash cloud, its position over Europe and the static weather conditions most of the EU airspace had to close and aircraft could not be physically routed around the problem area as there was no space to do so. We had to ensure, in a situation without precedent, that decisions made were based on a thorough gathering of data and analysis by experts. This evidence based approach helped to validate a new standard that is now being adopted across Europe.
The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash. Manufacturers have now agreed increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas.
Our way forward is based on international data and evidence from previous volcanic ash incidents, new data collected from test flights and additional analysis from manufacturers over the past few days. It is a conservative model allowing a significant buffer on top of the level the experts feel may pose a risk.
In addition, the CAAs Revised Airspace Guidance requires airlines to:
· conduct their own risk assessment and develop operational procedures to address any remaining risks;
· put in place an intensive maintenance ash damage inspection before and after each flight; and
· report any ash related incidents to a reporting scheme run by the CAA.
The CAA will also continue to monitor the situation with tests both in the air and on the ground.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The CAAs Revised Airspace Guidance will be based on new engine ash tolerance levels and will apply to low ash density areas identified by the Met Office. This information will be circulated on a six hourly basis. Areas where ash levels are at ³ 10-16, plus a sixty mile buffer zone, will remain no fly zones.
2. The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Its activities include: making sure that the aviation industry meets the highest technical and operational safety standards; preventing holidaymakers from being stranded abroad or losing money because of tour operator insolvency; planning and regulating all UK airspace; and regulating airports, air traffic services and airlines and providing advice on aviation policy from an economic standpoint.
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CRAB, I concede.
You are obviously much more informed than I gave you credit for.
You are clearly right and the rest of the safety system is wrong. Maybe you should be running the CAA/Government.
You do not know as much about engines as you think you do. Once a turbine blade has "crept" there is no contingency. The crystiline structure of the material has changed forever. Thats why temperature control in our engines is critical. I hope you suck eggs better than you understand gas turbine engines and materials technology. Creep causes contact with the turbine shroud, which is why during every after flight this is checked by manually rotating the turbine. If it has "crept" the hot end is in the bin. period. Continued life is not an option. Thats why the risks (real, imaginary or over emphasised) of contaminating and engine with volcanic ash has been taken very seriously.
Just what was the alternative....carry on regardless and collect data along the way, running the risk of losing airframes and lives.
I think if you sit down, crack a beer and think very carefully about what has happened you will be hard pressed to have come up with any other solution than the cautious approach shopwn by the regulators and the governments.
The link with the NS accident simply serves to demonstrate the true horror of catastrophic hot end failure. Maybe your imagination simply does not function like mine. I use mine to stay safe.
Like I said some people will never have to suffer the consequnces of their ill concieved statements.
As I have always stated I will fly when those more informed tell me it is OK to do so. Thats how the safety system is supposed to work.
If flying resumes tommorrow I hope for everybody's sake you (CRAB) are 100% correct and the threat has been overstated. Its not the result that matters here, it's the journey taken to achieve it.
DB
You are obviously much more informed than I gave you credit for.
You are clearly right and the rest of the safety system is wrong. Maybe you should be running the CAA/Government.
You do not know as much about engines as you think you do. Once a turbine blade has "crept" there is no contingency. The crystiline structure of the material has changed forever. Thats why temperature control in our engines is critical. I hope you suck eggs better than you understand gas turbine engines and materials technology. Creep causes contact with the turbine shroud, which is why during every after flight this is checked by manually rotating the turbine. If it has "crept" the hot end is in the bin. period. Continued life is not an option. Thats why the risks (real, imaginary or over emphasised) of contaminating and engine with volcanic ash has been taken very seriously.
Just what was the alternative....carry on regardless and collect data along the way, running the risk of losing airframes and lives.
I think if you sit down, crack a beer and think very carefully about what has happened you will be hard pressed to have come up with any other solution than the cautious approach shopwn by the regulators and the governments.
The link with the NS accident simply serves to demonstrate the true horror of catastrophic hot end failure. Maybe your imagination simply does not function like mine. I use mine to stay safe.
Like I said some people will never have to suffer the consequnces of their ill concieved statements.
As I have always stated I will fly when those more informed tell me it is OK to do so. Thats how the safety system is supposed to work.
If flying resumes tommorrow I hope for everybody's sake you (CRAB) are 100% correct and the threat has been overstated. Its not the result that matters here, it's the journey taken to achieve it.
DB
Last edited by DOUBLE BOGEY; 20th Apr 2010 at 20:23.
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For your information above Italy there is no volcanic ash at all.
Those genious professionals of ENAC (FAA or CAA equivalents) had stopped ALL IFR and VFR flights over all the entire air space above the country.
Somebody is wondering why no stop is imposed ammong ETNA volcano activity lasting all year long that throws tonnes of ash upon something like 500thousand people, also SID's and STAR's from Catania airport being just in the very middle of the ever lasting smoke exiting from the edge of the volcano 24/7.
I normally fly every day in HEMS in such an environment with a B412, no problem at all.
No question about ash cloud is a danger for air transport, as all pilots know.
Arrogance can beat worse than a volcano, especially if aviation rulemakers are ignorant!!
Those genious professionals of ENAC (FAA or CAA equivalents) had stopped ALL IFR and VFR flights over all the entire air space above the country.
Somebody is wondering why no stop is imposed ammong ETNA volcano activity lasting all year long that throws tonnes of ash upon something like 500thousand people, also SID's and STAR's from Catania airport being just in the very middle of the ever lasting smoke exiting from the edge of the volcano 24/7.
I normally fly every day in HEMS in such an environment with a B412, no problem at all.
No question about ash cloud is a danger for air transport, as all pilots know.
Arrogance can beat worse than a volcano, especially if aviation rulemakers are ignorant!!
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Why 2200... ?
SilsoeSid: Look now at RadarVirtuel.com with a Volcano Ashes Layer (courtesy MightGem)...
.... Willy Walsh must have forced this by having his planes hold (look at the spectacular holds of the inbound BA aircraft) and I guess they're playing tough with him to not let them in....... waiting till their low fuel forces a bigger divert... hence not:"with imediate effect"
Watch it live!
Well done CAA getting the SVFR going - some common sense
.... Willy Walsh must have forced this by having his planes hold (look at the spectacular holds of the inbound BA aircraft) and I guess they're playing tough with him to not let them in....... waiting till their low fuel forces a bigger divert... hence not:"with imediate effect"
Watch it live!
Well done CAA getting the SVFR going - some common sense
Hi DB . For one moment in your previous post i thought you had woken up ...but then your next post proved me wrong !! You really are a creature of habit ...i guess it is your job where your every move is directed and sanctioned by someone from above ....if you ever leave your job and go into the real world you may find you have to make some of your own calls ....not leave it to another grown up . I have flown for 6 hrs today in gin clear skies ..for some unknown reason we had to fly through City airspace as Heathrow was closed , even for a Burnham / Ascot route ....why ?????? There is no sense or logic ...it is just beaurocrats doing what they do best ...sitting on a fence . Why was it safe to fly down the Thames East to West .....but apparently NOT west to East . DB i am sure you will agree West to East is v dangerous indeed !!!!
Anyway yet another beautiful gin clear , perfect flying day and a whole load of pilots , even vfr ones , sitting on the ground .
ps The insurance argument doesnt wash either as they have no right to restrict your insurance ...you have a contract with them which covers you for all legal flights ...if they say you are not insured " simples....." tell them to shove their premiums and move your policy or simpler , just keep flying and dont ask them as they will always take a "no flying " option but still take your premium . I think the UK aviation community have proved what a bunch of Lemmings they are ....all not flying ( for no reason ) then suddenly all flying ( again for no good reason !! ) A pathetic chapter in UK Eurolalaland Aviation.
Anyway yet another beautiful gin clear , perfect flying day and a whole load of pilots , even vfr ones , sitting on the ground .
ps The insurance argument doesnt wash either as they have no right to restrict your insurance ...you have a contract with them which covers you for all legal flights ...if they say you are not insured " simples....." tell them to shove their premiums and move your policy or simpler , just keep flying and dont ask them as they will always take a "no flying " option but still take your premium . I think the UK aviation community have proved what a bunch of Lemmings they are ....all not flying ( for no reason ) then suddenly all flying ( again for no good reason !! ) A pathetic chapter in UK Eurolalaland Aviation.
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As I have always stated I will fly when those more informed tell me it is OK to do so. Thats how the safety system is supposed to work.
A cloud has to be visible otherwise it's not a cloud. If there are invisible ash particles in the air it's more like an 'ash bubble' ..........
It's been a very expensive over-reaction
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IRONCHEFFLAY, Thanks for the information. I undertsand all of that. What my post refers to specifically is the NASA DC-8 incident (occurred druing a 7 minute flight through an unseen volcanic ash cloud of minute particles North of Iceland in 2000.
The result was as you describe, melting of the particles onto the turbine blades and partial blocking of the air holes that maintain the temperatures of the blades wihtin their design profile.
This incident was highly specific and the results were belived to have been caused by the particles being coated in ice, allowing them to get all the way through the engine withoun deterioration until they hit the hot turbine blades. NASA speculated that the specifics of the incidnet added greatly to the very rapid deterioration of the blades.
The engine manufacturer stripped all four engines. They
state in the report that the blades were less than 100 hours from failure.
The most important issue here is that the flight crew and the afterflight did not pick up the contamination in the normal inspection phase. It was only the presence of highly sensitve volcano sniffing kit in the back (as it was a valcano monitoring flight) that alerted them to the fact they had an encounter with ash.
My point on this post, is that believing we can regularly operate in significant ashclouds, and simply expect a redcution in Turbine TBO is naive when considered against the NASA incident.
I have had a turbine jammed (on AS355 - Allsion 250 engine) found during an after flight. The strip report concluded that a manufacturing error had occurred allowing the trubine baldes to creep and contact the shroud. The turbine was 8 hours old. I was lucky that the turbine diod not let go in flight. Tha same result will occur if massive overtemp of the turbine blades is effected in flight.
I think you will agree that if you found a jammed turbine during after flight the conclusion would have to be that the crew were very lucky to complete the last flight without a major problem.
I am not concerned at all flying in the current conditions that the CAA and Governmet have decided are acceptable buit it is not by accident we can only do so provided an increase in monitoring is implemented.
The result was as you describe, melting of the particles onto the turbine blades and partial blocking of the air holes that maintain the temperatures of the blades wihtin their design profile.
This incident was highly specific and the results were belived to have been caused by the particles being coated in ice, allowing them to get all the way through the engine withoun deterioration until they hit the hot turbine blades. NASA speculated that the specifics of the incidnet added greatly to the very rapid deterioration of the blades.
The engine manufacturer stripped all four engines. They
state in the report that the blades were less than 100 hours from failure.
The most important issue here is that the flight crew and the afterflight did not pick up the contamination in the normal inspection phase. It was only the presence of highly sensitve volcano sniffing kit in the back (as it was a valcano monitoring flight) that alerted them to the fact they had an encounter with ash.
My point on this post, is that believing we can regularly operate in significant ashclouds, and simply expect a redcution in Turbine TBO is naive when considered against the NASA incident.
I have had a turbine jammed (on AS355 - Allsion 250 engine) found during an after flight. The strip report concluded that a manufacturing error had occurred allowing the trubine baldes to creep and contact the shroud. The turbine was 8 hours old. I was lucky that the turbine diod not let go in flight. Tha same result will occur if massive overtemp of the turbine blades is effected in flight.
I think you will agree that if you found a jammed turbine during after flight the conclusion would have to be that the crew were very lucky to complete the last flight without a major problem.
I am not concerned at all flying in the current conditions that the CAA and Governmet have decided are acceptable buit it is not by accident we can only do so provided an increase in monitoring is implemented.
Air traffic control company Nats insisted it faced no political pressure to ease the restrictions.
"We don't feel we have been under pressure from the Government," said spokesman Alex Bristol.
"Where the pressure has come has been to better understand the safety implications."
"We don't feel we have been under pressure from the Government," said spokesman Alex Bristol.
"Where the pressure has come has been to better understand the safety implications."
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said there was now a "better" understanding of the effects of volcanic ash on aircraft.
"The CAA have been working around the clock with the aircraft manufacturing industry, the airlines and the research community to better understand how different concentrations of ash affect aircraft engines," he said.
"As a result, the CAA has now established a wider area in which it is safe to fly, consistent with the framework agreed by the EU transport ministers."
"The CAA have been working around the clock with the aircraft manufacturing industry, the airlines and the research community to better understand how different concentrations of ash affect aircraft engines," he said.
"As a result, the CAA has now established a wider area in which it is safe to fly, consistent with the framework agreed by the EU transport ministers."
Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways, has said "lessons can be learned" from the handling of the event.
He added: "I don't believe it was necessary to impose a blanket ban on all UK airspace last Thursday.
"My personal belief is that we could have safely continued operating for a period of time."
He added: "I don't believe it was necessary to impose a blanket ban on all UK airspace last Thursday.
"My personal belief is that we could have safely continued operating for a period of time."
Strangely as predicted - despite the new eruptions.
DB-I am well aware of the premature embrittlement of the turbine blades caused by excessive temperatures - we were warned of this last week.
Iron - I suggest you read the NASA report on the inadvertant entry to ash cloud about exactly how the damage occurred - the holes were blocked in the turbine blades because the ash is different to sand. Now I know you know more about engines than me but excessive creep would mean the blades would impinge on the casing which would certainly be visible with a borescope, wouldn't it?
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NIGELh
I cannot understand what you would expect the regulators to do. I presume nothing. Just carry on regardless and if something falls out of the sky then we will deal with it.
Of course they have not got it 100% right. They have tried to do the best fin the interests of safety. The passengers interviewed last night ion TV were repeatedily drawn by the jouro to try and critise the regulator and to a man they all said the same thing. They would rather have stayed on the ground if there was any doubt.
I have never intimated what you are doing is not safe nor has the regulator since he has allowed you to do it. As you have probably made a fat wad out of the crisis I am surprised you whinging at all.
As far as maiking may own descisions, thats just insulting. You have no idea what my backgorund is and I guess you have never flown Offshore.
Blowhards like you are the real reason for the transient overswing. Kneejerk reactions are mostly the result of trying to contain volatile missles like you.
How can you even possibly justify critising me for wanting to be compliant, safe and conservative.
Just what do you klnow about ash and engines. I suspect squat. But you will quite happily spread you particular brand of bollocks reagrdless.
I on the other hand admit to understanding very little, and therefore place my trust in those that do.
I am a pilot, not a geologist/meteorologist/mettalurgist.
Seeing as you have the answers to evrything why not stand for election.
I cannot understand what you would expect the regulators to do. I presume nothing. Just carry on regardless and if something falls out of the sky then we will deal with it.
Of course they have not got it 100% right. They have tried to do the best fin the interests of safety. The passengers interviewed last night ion TV were repeatedily drawn by the jouro to try and critise the regulator and to a man they all said the same thing. They would rather have stayed on the ground if there was any doubt.
I have never intimated what you are doing is not safe nor has the regulator since he has allowed you to do it. As you have probably made a fat wad out of the crisis I am surprised you whinging at all.
As far as maiking may own descisions, thats just insulting. You have no idea what my backgorund is and I guess you have never flown Offshore.
Blowhards like you are the real reason for the transient overswing. Kneejerk reactions are mostly the result of trying to contain volatile missles like you.
How can you even possibly justify critising me for wanting to be compliant, safe and conservative.
Just what do you klnow about ash and engines. I suspect squat. But you will quite happily spread you particular brand of bollocks reagrdless.
I on the other hand admit to understanding very little, and therefore place my trust in those that do.
I am a pilot, not a geologist/meteorologist/mettalurgist.
Seeing as you have the answers to evrything why not stand for election.
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Too much worrying....
DB: "Blowhards like you [nigelh] are the real reason for the transient overswing. Kneejerk reactions are mostly the result of trying to contain volatile missles like you."
..... and Willie Walsh perhaps ??
..... and Willie Walsh perhaps ??
I guess some evidence will now exist in the engines of the helicopters that have been operating at low levels VFR in the last few days around the UK and Northern europe.
I will be genuinely interested to see what if any damage has been done to those aircraft or their engines that becomes apparent in the weeks and months to come.
In the hypothetical situation of the operators who hire their aircraft in, if they continued to operate during the VA cloud hysteria and there was damage done, will they be paying for it or will they expect the owners to pay, I was asked to fly yesterday in London and whilst it never happened I would have done so only with the owner being appraised of the situation ?
The VA Cloud does seem to have pepped things up a bit for a few operators who have been running around the country and Northern Europe picking stranded people up.
The trade in illegal public transport clearly went up, with several of the usual culprits making some cash out of the situation.
I will be genuinely interested to see what if any damage has been done to those aircraft or their engines that becomes apparent in the weeks and months to come.
In the hypothetical situation of the operators who hire their aircraft in, if they continued to operate during the VA cloud hysteria and there was damage done, will they be paying for it or will they expect the owners to pay, I was asked to fly yesterday in London and whilst it never happened I would have done so only with the owner being appraised of the situation ?
The VA Cloud does seem to have pepped things up a bit for a few operators who have been running around the country and Northern Europe picking stranded people up.
The trade in illegal public transport clearly went up, with several of the usual culprits making some cash out of the situation.
The more that these sort of things happen , the more we allow ourselves to be over regulated the more it plays into the hands of thr "grey" area charters / lease flights and also sadly the out and out illegal charters. They have business for only one good reason ....charter is now so over regulated and therefor over priced they have no alternative but to find a cheaper option . That is market forces and they will always win . Remember nobody would prefer to fly with some little tin pot illegal operator if they had the choice !!!! I have always said i believe that aoc charter on helis will slowly die over the next 10 years and it will be 90% lease/or just illegal . As it is i would say the figure is around 50%.
Good news that people are back in the air . Dont worry DB i am sure you will be fine
Good news that people are back in the air . Dont worry DB i am sure you will be fine