Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights

Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights

Did a search on this and unbelievably no threads as yet on this amazing story

A volcano in Iceland that is sending huge amounts of ash in to the sky is now threatening British airspace and aircraft . As a precaution nearly all flights out of UK airspace are going to be effected at some time today causing MAJOR disruption.

news.bbc.co.uk...

Airline passengers are facing massive disruption across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded planes.

The Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 1800BST amid fears of engine damage.

Airports operator BAA confirmed all flights at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick would be suspended from midday.

And in Scotland, authorities have already shut all their airports.

The restrictions, in accordance with international civil aviation policy, were imposed after the Met Office warned ash could clog engines.

Passengers were advised to contact their carriers prior to travel.

silverandsonic — 15 April 2010 — Large cloud of ash from an erupted volcano in iceland affects air travel in britain. Watch video for latest airport news.

According to this report the eruption and ash disruption could last a long time maybe up to a YEAR
www.channelnewsasia.com...

REYKJAVIK : A powerful volcano eruption on Iceland spewing clouds of ash that caused air traffic disruption across northern Europe on Thursday, could last "a long time", an Icelandic geophysicist said.

"It is very variable how long these eruptions last - anywhere from a few days to over a year," Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a professor of geophysics and civil protection advisor, told AFP. "Judging from the intensity of this one, it could last a long time," he added.

[edit on 15-4-2010 by tarifa37]

This is headline news at the moment, the latest is that from midday there will be no flights at all in the uk airspace...

itnnews — 15 April 2010 — Footage has been released of an erupting volcano in Iceland which is affecting flights in and out of the UK, as clouds of ash spread. . Follow us on twitter at twitter.com... .

Very big developing story all over the news and net now.

Norway Today : ALL air traffic Closed from 10 AM gmt+1..
Some flights goes to southern and eastern contries, but I dont think that will hold up.

What I see as an potential threat/problem, is that they also have closed down traffic to and from oil rigs, and that could hurt the Oil industry if this lasts...

Oh, I must add, Our phony primeminister is stuck in the US after a sell-out meeting over there. LOL. That is nice, he cant come back to ruin more of Norway atm.

And, I smell an huge carbon tax increase on the Icelenders now, all the carbon from the volcano is a result of man breathing out carbon, so it is only fair that they must pay carbon tax on it. (Sarcasm, even though Al Gore might like this idea.)

[edit on 15/4/2010 by ChemBreather]

reply to post by ChemBreather


Given that they use hecolopters, I would hope they can fly below the clouds to and from the rigs, tho am not sure if that makes any difference. I really hope it does..

Edit to add: I am sure in the short term they could also fall back on ships to ferry people/equipement to and from the rigs..

my concern is that if this does continue what impact will it have on travel throughout northern Europe.. I live in a ferry port and we have gone from 5 ferries runnning 2 services a day down to 1 ferry over the last 5 years...

[edit on 15/4/10 by thoughtsfull]

Originally posted by thoughtsfull
reply to post by ChemBreather

 

Given that they use hecolopters, I would hope they can fly below the clouds to and from the rigs, tho am not sure if that makes any difference. I really hope it does..

Edit to add: I am sure in the short term they could also fall back on ships to ferry people/equipement to and from the rigs..


[edit on 15/4/10 by thoughtsfull]

No choppers allowed to fly out to the riggs, they dont use planes out to the riggs.

Boats Im not sure of....

reply to post by ChemBreather


Are they not running any hecolopters out to the rigs then? that is a bit of a worry... I must ask my partner later, as that is the industry she works in

[edit on 15/4/10 by thoughtsfull]

No airtraffic in Sweden or Denmark either. This has never happened before here (I´m in Seden). Airtraffic will be closed down for a couple of days.

I am wondering if the ash could fall as rain over the UK that would be very interesting.Mind you just cleaned the car so not much fun. We often get red sand rain that has blown over from the Shara here in kent it always blows my mind when we get that to think of the distance it had traveled to then fall on kent coating cars etc in a fine red dust. I guess the ash could do the same thing. Dry here at the mo but its never that long to wait for rain wonder if it will be grey dust or not.

A friend has just been grounded from flying over to Uganda so he'll now be waiting on the news as many, many people will.

Supposedly they are opening again at 6pm but we'll have to see how that pans out... will be a big backlog!

Clear sunny skies right now though but I guess it would be fine ash / non viewable anyway.

Yay! Chaos!

Nice fertile crops if it comes down in the rain.

reply to post by AlwaysQuestion


Nope sorry to say that's been changed recently to 6 o clock (AM I Believe) tomorrow now sadly so not this evening anymore.

Someone even said on the news that they are expecting there to be no flights tomorrow as well and it's going to be a huge surprise if anymore go today.



[edit on 15-4-2010 by Rising Against]

V.A.A updated map, showing the Ash-cloud lingering over the UK and Northern quadrant of Europe throughout today and into tomorrow morning at 0600UT.

www.metoffice.gov.uk...

reply to post by tarifa37

Volcanic Ash is abrasive to aircraft engines.

reply to post by ROBL240


Is she still spewing dust?? which is the little titbit of info I have not been able to really confirm..

As I am trying to acertain is this is going to come at us in waves, that'll mess the summer up if we continue down this path..

Ash path

And now for your enjoyment and delectation we present to you 'Ash From Iceland'

Viewers are advised that this is an RGB composite (they colour the elements) and this does NOT mean there is a dirty great thick black cloud about to envelope Blighty.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/54fb8cf4cc57.gif[/atsimg]

This is from 04:00 to 09:00 UTC
By the way the brown is NOT ash, that is cloud.

Link to source of ash pictures

Actually the 11:00 picture seems to indicate a lessening of the output.


[edit on 15/4/2010 by PuterMan]

I tried taking a look at Eyjaf on the cams before, but the weather is abysmal (worse than yesterday) with next to zero visibility. I've seen documentarists recording a quick trip around the East of the Island to get a idea of what the Plume is like inside, so judging from this (it was a early morning venture) then Eyjaf is starting to maintain somewhat a continual venting. But if Glacier melt gets into the chamber as feared what may happen again, there could yet be another third explosive event.