Ash clouds threaten air traffic
 

http://gfx.dagbladet.no/labrador/112...ctive/503x.jpg

A mail flight taking off from Bodø Wednesday evening reported ash clouds. The Bodø airport was therefore the first airport to be closed down; the rest of North-Norway followed shortly thereafter.
The rest of the country could be affected tomorrow.

The ash comes from the volcanic activity on Iceland and is now reaching Norwegian airspace. Which can have serious consequences for air traffic.

- We are now evaluating meteorological reports from London relating to the development of these ash clouds. Ash and airplanes are a bad combination. We will decide at about 20.00 hrs what we´ll do regarding Norwegian air traffic. In the worst case scenario, we will close off the entire airspace, says Raymond Ingebretsen, boss of the ATC facility at Bodø.

Vulcanic video link

http://gfx.dagbladet.no/labrador/112...ctive/960x.jpg

Forecast for tomorrow 12.00 hrs. The red line is where the ash will be from ground level to 20 000 ft. The green line shows the aerea where air traffic might have problems between 20 000 and 35 000 ft. The blue line is a smaller area between 35 000 and 50 000ft

According to current wind and wind predcitions, Norway airspace may close totally tomorrow as well as part of the Russian airpspace.
Lot's of unhappy flyers tomorrow then.

Here's a link to one of the webcams pointed at the eruption.
Eyjafjallajökull frá Valahnúk

http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publi...705.html#7-5-9

check NoTams and the VAFTAD:zzz:

Satellite Services Division Washington VAAC - VAFTAD

More on the vulcano in Iceland
 

From "Iceland Review Online":

14/04/2010 | 13:18
Flights Limited Due to New Iceland Eruption
Instrument flights at or below 30,000 feet have been banned in the area north and east of the eruption area. Because of this, all domestic flights to Egilsstadir and Hornafjördur have been cancelled.
According to Hjördís Gudmundsdóttir, information officer for the Civil Aviation Administration, it is probable that the banned area will soon expand to the northeast and extend all the way to Norway and possibly Russia. This has not happened yet, though.

This is a little confusing to me. The London VAAD (which monitors the Iceland sector) is reporting some information about the plume, including the graphic in the first post.
However, the satellite they use to generate such data is not showing any volcanic ash plume, and neither is any other source of information. It's not even cloudy over quite large portions of the airspace between Iceland and Norway, let alone ash laden.

(edit) Although most of Northern Iceland appears to be covered.

The UK ATICCC (Air Traffic Co-ordination and Communication Cell) has been activated at 21.25 UTC:

"Due to estensive ash cloud from Icelandic Volcanic eruption it is predicted that UK airspace will be affected from 15th April. NOTAMS are being issued."

Rumours that airfields north of BHX could be affected from 0600z tomorrow.
Could be an interesting day!

A good time to be on leave with no travel plans then I guess :p

louby

Juud Thanks for the PiRep ;)


The sarcasm in my post was a kinda ground school reminder for the airfolks ;)

not to you:)

Anyone got any links to any EuroControl information on the airspace above EGBB being closed from 0600z onwards?

A planned closure of local airspce is expected to have a consideration impact upon passengers flying in and out of Aberdeen Airport on Thursday 15 April. The closure has been enforced by the air traffic control services, NATS, as a result of volcanic ash which is drifting toward the country from Iceland.

Thats what BAA Aberdeen say

Met. Office reporting plume up to 11km (36,000ft) high with lightning in the plume over Iceland. So I guess it's still erupting and spewing ash. Looks like the airspace around Aberdeen will be closed by NATS shortly according to their web site.

On the beach

This seems to have the latest forecasts. Looks like its going to cover the country by 1800z

Met Office: Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres

I'm not that familiar with what the aftermath of significant volcanic eruptions, but I'm puzzled as to the rather large area indicated by the London VAAC. I;m aware that volcanoes can throw up vast quantities of solid material, but in particular, what kind of density of ash does the line delineate ?

Is this a
1) "Anyone on the ground in this area should close their windows and not go out" advisory
2) "Do not fly within this area because your engines may fail" advisory
3) "There might be a tiny bit of ash floating around, but nothing to have any particular impact on aviation" advisory ?

1. This is airborne threat not a fallout ground threat

2. Yes it is a do not fly or else

3. Of course it's a warning for a threat which could have a significant impact on your safe operation. Whether you take it as advisory or not depends on how it is transmitted to you.

easyJet have cancelled all departures from the North of England and Scotland until further notice!

Really? Some departures still showing ex MAN on aims.

Edinburgh expecting major disruptions on 15th April due to volcanic ash cloud, according to BBC travel news.

Edinburgh closed

FlyBE cancelling services ex MAN, back to bed for me then