Statement on Icelandic volcanic eruption: Monday April 19, 1530

The volcanic eruption has reduced and the volcano is not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect the UK. Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions we are now looking at a continuously improving situation.
Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday.
From 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday, Scottish airspace will be open, and south to a line between Teeside and Blackpool. Mainland Scottish airports will be open.
This is a dynamic and changing situation and is therefore difficult to forecast beyond 0700 local; however, the latest Met Office advice is that the contaminated area will continue to move south with the possibility that restrictions to airspace above England and Wales, including the London area, may be lifted later tomorrow (Tuesday).
We will continue to monitor Met Office information and review our arrangements in line with that. We will advise further arrangements at approximately 2100 (local time), today.
It is now for airports and airlines to decide how best to utilise this opportunity. Passengers should contact their airlines to find out how this will affect their travel plans.

Best post on the subject IMHO.

WingoWango,

Those flights were publicity stunts.

If they had flown for 8 to 10 hours with multiple climbs and descents with thermal cycles like a real engine would go through for three or four days then I might buy off on it but as it is the true guinea pigs will be paying passengers in the back.

Seen this:

Volcanic Ash Gives Jet Engine a Turbocharge : Discovery News

As usual the Eurocrats know exactly what is going on!
 

Last updated: April 19 2010 15:17
European officials on Monday acknowledged weaknesses in the computer models that guided their decision to ground thousands of flights during the past week following a volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Many of the flights would have gone ahead under US aviation standards, they said, and urged that these be considered in the future.“The science behind the model we’re running at the moment is based on certain assumptions where we do not have clear scientific evidence. It is a black box in certain areas,” said Matthias Ruete, director-general for mobility and transport.
Mr Ruete noted, for example, that authorities were unsure what density of ash was hazardous for plane engines.
He also noted that early results of the 40-odd test flights conducted over the weekend by European airlines, such as KLM and Air France, suggested that the safety risk was less than the computer models had indicated.
“We looked at the engines and we also looked at the lubricated parts of the plane and windows and we found that there was no trace of ash,” he said.
Mr Ruete’s comments highlight the lack of technical expertise that has hamstrung European policymakers as they try to manage the consequences from a rare act of nature.

Things looking up it seems

BBC News - Scottish airspace due to reopen

Can we please have a transparent assessment made public of those aircraft that have and have not suffered though flying in the ash, irrespective of whether there is a reduction in ash tomorrow.

Then we can assess how to react if and when ash levels are high again.

Surely a few days to get more data and analyse it won't cripple the industry.

Peoples lives should not be subject of cost benefit analysis (they are in the NHS of course but don't start me.............)

Although I only fly recreationally, I do as a tug pilot have the guy on the back in my hands and I only fly is I am statisfied that (1) the aeroplane and I are fit and (2) the conditions are suitable; I resepct professonals who take the same attitude

Helsinki, Turku and Tampere airports are temporarily open this afternoon but will probably be closed again for the night. Finnair´s JFK-HEL flight has already landed and will depart again later tonight and another flight from Madrid is expected to arrive later today, but that´s it as far as Finnair is concerned. Blue 1 will operate two flights. It´s not much but at least they´re trying to get some sense out of this mess..

Well I have just had a call to say I'm flying on my hols tomorrow... Manchester to Calgary. Depart at 13.00 Not sure how I feel about it yet....:uhoh:

When the airspace opens in stages tomorrow, will they then shut it down again at night?

THat way if the volcano does kick off again, aircraft won't blunder into a dense ash cloud at night.

If it is only day time, then crew can still see and avoid.

Or will it be all crews scrambled to move as many people as possible as soon as possible?

Bear in mind that the guys up front won't fly unless they feel safe and happy to do so - hopefully!

louby

Financial news channel CNBC is reporting the airline loses due to the airspace closure are $200 million per day, and air cargo losses (including losses to non-aviation businesses that cannot deliver products) at $100 million per day. $1.5 billion over the 5 days so far.

(which sounds a bit low given the individual daily losses reported by BA, KLM, Emirates, etc., but perhaps those have "ramped up" as the crisis deepened).

In viewing the arguments on either side here, my sense is they boil down to "airspace should be open until it is proved unsafe" vs. "airspace should be closed until it is proved safe."

I'm not sure it will ever be possible to prove either case. 100 successful test flights are no guarantee that the 101st won't glide home with fused engines.

BBC news just flashed that the Met Office stated the volcano has just erupted again, ash cloud up to FL080

Peter We:

Mmmhh, just for ONE airport area? I did ask about statistically sound data for the entire affected area. Sorry, this hardly falls into that category. There is also no mention of concentration of potentially harmful substances.

Failed, mate.

F-WWCA
 

Any info concerning F-WWCA A346 demostrator flying today from France all the way to Norway and back?
Near Berlin now at 35000 ft.

Could it be an Airbus Industries test flight?

lomapaseo,

here's a pic of the T1 with the blade damage from an overtemp off wing from a 737, this engine still made egt's within limits in the test cell...

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x.../DSC00842s.jpg

I have about 40 b-scopes on my shelf behind me some of engines i didnt own, some i did. btw i still have an engine stand down in ft. lauderdale, couldn't be a dear and pick it up for me could you ? :ok:

Skylight :

That is correct - Lufthansa will fly home to FRA up to 15.000 pax from Asia, US, S. America on a temporary exemption of the flight ban.

50 wide-bodies will be used, taking off later this evening from what the German press/TV is reporting.

Guess it's also pressure applied to the transport minister by the LH CEO Mayrhuber who pressed his views on national tv last night - the minister didn't look too good.

Well done / Gut gemacht, Lufhansa :ok:

radarvirtuel.com are showing quite a few planes in the air over france, I thought their airspace was closed too

Nah I've got a better plan!
Someone should strap a 737 to their ass and go out to fly a full night of simulated air carrier operations around Europe for the night. During the day the boys in maintenance get the plane.:p

Lufthansa VFR
 

Re Lufthansa flights


"The planes will fly to Frankfurt, Munich and Duesseldorf under visual flight rules, he said, noting that air traffic control is still keeping its restrictions on German airspace.
"We have an exception that allows us to fly so-called visual flight rules,"

As of 1545 according to Eurocontrol NOP:

LFMM Marseille- open
LFEE Reims - open FL210 and above
LFFF Paris - open FL210 and above
LFRR Brest- open FL210 and above
LFBB Bordeaux- open, except LFBLM sectors FL145-195 closed until 20-0600z