Volcanic ash from Iceland causing travel chaos...including some pretty sunsets!

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Anyone knows the reason why planes can't fly?

To me, it looks like they would go through the ashes like they go through clouds but I'm obviously missing something :lol:
 
Dravonic
Anyone knows the reason why planes can't fly?

To me, it looks like they would go through the ashes like they go through clouds but I'm obviously missing something :lol:
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Because the ash is made up of very fine particules of rock which, on entering aircraft engines, both effectively sand-blast the mechanicals and melt into glass on the particularly hot bits.

Summat like that, anyway ;)
 
Moglet
I've lived here for 21 years and the sun has never been that red at that height in the sky from my house. Even when I've watched the sun go down on the coast it's been a dark orange, but never fully red like that. It's definitely different or I wouldn't have bothered taking the photos.
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I've lived all my life in Texas, USA....very much longer than 21 years, and sunsets such as those you've posted are very much the norm. Maybe it's because our annual rainfall averages don't approach those of your homeland, and there's always lots of dust in the air around these parts.
 
I'm supposed to be on vacation in Italy right now, but I'd rather be home than trapped there without a way home.
 
Denur
FYI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Flight_867
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But your captain sounded panicky.

Ours was much cooler

Captain Moody - BA Flight 9
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control. I trust you are not in too much distress.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9

And all of this just proves my theory that Iceland hates us. First they lose all our money, then they explode a volcano in our general direction and ground the whole of europe.
 
If they really hated you , they'd form a few more islands, block the Gulf Stream entirely, and then all of northern Europe would be like Siberia.

So don't piss off Iceland!!
 
daan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9

And all of this just proves my theory that Iceland hates us. First they lose all our money, then they explode a volcano in our general direction and ground the whole of europe.
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:lol: Captain Moody can fly any plane Im ever in... With quotes like these:

He then called out how high they should be at each DME step along the final track to the runway, creating a virtual glide slope for them to follow. It was, in Moody's words, "a bit like negotiating one's way up a badger's arse".
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And the one Daan mentioned its Epic Win all the way... 👍
 
Scottish airspace to reopen after volcanic ash chaos

Captain Moody to the rescue?!? The Scots prove again they've got huge balls and sod the rest of the country :D

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630455.stm

Scottish airspace is due to reopen on Tuesday, but flight restrictions will remain in place for most of the UK.

The air traffic control body, Nats, said from 0700 BST on Tuesday Scottish airspace south to a line between Teesside and Blackpool will reopen.

It added that mainland Scottish airports would be open.

Nats said restrictions to airspace above England and Wales could be lifted later on Tuesday if the volcanic ash cloud continued to move away.

In a statement, Nats added: "Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions, we are now looking at a continuously improving situation.

"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."

Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears particles in the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano could cause engines to shut down.

About 150,000 Britons are currently stranded abroad, according to travel agents' association, Abta.

Earlier, the UK's emergency committee Cobra discussed options to address the travel chaos and will hold another meeting later.

The UK government are deploying three Royal Navy ships to help bring stranded Britons home.

The BBC understands 500 British soldiers from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles are being airlifted by chartered civilian jets from Cyprus to Spain, before sailing to the UK aboard HMS Albion.

The ship, due to arrive in the Spanish port of Santander on Tuesday morning, may also carry civilians on its return.
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EDIT...

Northern UK airspace to reopen after volcanic ash chaos

Turns out it's not just the Scots with big balls!
 
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TigJackson
I've lived all my life in Texas, USA....very much longer than 21 years, and sunsets such as those you've posted are very much the norm. Maybe it's because our annual rainfall averages don't approach those of your homeland, and there's always lots of dust in the air around these parts.
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Well yeah, Texas is an entirely different place with a completely different weather system.....That's why I said that they were very rare sunsets for my area.
 
So, what exactly would happen if a plane tried to fly trough this ash cloud? Engine failure? Or are the British being sissies?
 
PJ-FFL
So, what exactly would happen if a plane tried to fly trough this ash cloud? Engine failure?
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Did you not bother reading the 2 links that have been posted so far? Here they are again.
Denur
FYI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Flight_867
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daan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9
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PJ-FFL
Or are the British being sissies?
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Yeah, 'cos it's just affecting the skies over the UK...

The following countries had controlled airspace which were closed to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flights after the eruption: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland (including Åland islands), Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy (North of the country), Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK.
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:rolleyes: Nice to see you're still living up to your Darwin award.
 
The BA "test flight" flown over the weekend wasn't exactly what they said it was.

According to a friend who works in the BAMC in Cardiff, the flight flew a specific, and not commonly used, flight plan to avoid all and any dust in the air. It was done purely because this 747 in particular was due for routine maintenance and the guys at BAMC were getting bored and needed work to do!
 
Wow, I knew ash was a terrible thing for electronics and... Actually everything, short of glass makers, but I didn't know it could do that much damage.
 
^ Those photos are incredible, no doubt the Daily Mail headline was predicting the end of the world!

The good news is the flight ban has been lifted for now as it has been decided the ash doesn't pose a risk to planes after approx 40 test flights without damage. It's still going to take a while for the mess to get sorted out though and get everyone back home! Hopefully there won't be any more eruptions and ask clouds so I can get on a plane to Greece on 7th May :D
 
Moglet
2 from tonight, after I was more prepared;

redsunset4.jpg


redsunset3.jpg
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Good looking pictures though. And by the position of the towers I'd say they was taken from the Ca Br Area.
 
EvilNeal
^ Those photos are incredible, no doubt the Daily Mail headline was predicting the end of the world!

The good news is the flight ban has been lifted for now as it has been decided the ash doesn't pose a risk to planes after approx 40 test flights without damage. It's still going to take a while for the mess to get sorted out though and get everyone back home! Hopefully there won't be any more eruptions and ask clouds so I can get on a plane to Greece on 7th May :D
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Word in my lectures was there's a new denser ash cloud been release by the volcano, but hopes are it is diverting towards Canada.
 
ExigeEvan
Word in my lectures was there's a new denser ash cloud been release by the volcano, but hopes are it is diverting towards Canada.
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On news of new ash cloud [fingers in ears]lalalalalalalalalalalala[/fingers in ears] ;)

Canada is a big place, they would hardly notice it so hopefully it is blown that way.
 
Damn, missed the news article on TV. There seems to be speculation that modern plane turbofan engines are less prone to the ash than was the case in the engines in the 1981 flight over Indonesia???

Anyone see it, can comment?
 
WEll, I know now how ash can screw up planes. Sorry about my ignorance before.
 
I'm sure the vast majority of people had no idea the problems volcanic ash posed to jet engines before Eyjafjallajökull erupted ;)
 

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