peter-h
Line Up and Wait
As you guys are probably aware, there was a volcanic event in Iceland and the winds have carried the stuff to the UK and central Europe.
A couple of links are here and here.
Apparently, ICAO recommends a ban on IFR clearances in controlled airspace if there is volcanic ash present, and this, it is claimed, is why most of NW European commercial aviation was more or less automatically shut down.
Some countries have even banned all flight (e.g. N France, and Netherlands) although here in the UK one can still fly outside controlled airspace (VFR and IFR).
Exec jets continue to fly (VFR until out of the UK) although some curious ATC measures appear to have been brought in to limit this.
There are conflicting views on whether the commercial ban is just the standard legal ar*se covering, and there are conflicting views on whether GA could possibly be affected by something which is invisible.
Yesterday I flew 400nm in England at 5500ft and with the exception of a brief (10 mins) haze area, which is hardly unusual given the high pressure conditions, the vis was unlimited i.e. 30nm plus.
An atmospheric research aircraft flight reports sulphuric acid etc at these levels, though I don't yet know where they flew. For all I know they may have gone right into where the plume is known to be (in the animation above).
I find it hard to believe that anything harmful (to a piston engine) could exist if the vis is unlimited.
And smog, which covers many large cities, is full of sulphuric acid.
After my flight, there was nothing on the aircraft and the air filter looks just like before i.e. spotless clean.
The reason I am asking in a US forum is because the USA has been down this road before, with Mt St Helens.
A couple of links are here and here.
Apparently, ICAO recommends a ban on IFR clearances in controlled airspace if there is volcanic ash present, and this, it is claimed, is why most of NW European commercial aviation was more or less automatically shut down.
Some countries have even banned all flight (e.g. N France, and Netherlands) although here in the UK one can still fly outside controlled airspace (VFR and IFR).
Exec jets continue to fly (VFR until out of the UK) although some curious ATC measures appear to have been brought in to limit this.
There are conflicting views on whether the commercial ban is just the standard legal ar*se covering, and there are conflicting views on whether GA could possibly be affected by something which is invisible.
Yesterday I flew 400nm in England at 5500ft and with the exception of a brief (10 mins) haze area, which is hardly unusual given the high pressure conditions, the vis was unlimited i.e. 30nm plus.
An atmospheric research aircraft flight reports sulphuric acid etc at these levels, though I don't yet know where they flew. For all I know they may have gone right into where the plume is known to be (in the animation above).
I find it hard to believe that anything harmful (to a piston engine) could exist if the vis is unlimited.
And smog, which covers many large cities, is full of sulphuric acid.
After my flight, there was nothing on the aircraft and the air filter looks just like before i.e. spotless clean.
The reason I am asking in a US forum is because the USA has been down this road before, with Mt St Helens.
