The first news I heard about this morning’s flight cancellations was on the way back from school. Eldest has gone in today for drama class… rather dramatic, I thought, to close all the UK airports. But then I heard on the radio about what it is like to fly in a dust cloud. And found this:
From The Telegraph
“Captain Eric Moody was commanding a London to Auckland 263-passenger British Airways Boeing 747 in June 1982 when it encountered an ash plume from the erupting Mount Galunggung in Java, Indonesia.
A strange St Elmo’s Fire-like light had appeared on the cockpit windscreen and sulphur-smelling smoke started filling the passenger cabin. Then, within minutes, all four engines had failed. The plane managed to glide sufficiently out of the ash plume for three of the four engines to restart.
“It was very frightening, all the engines stopped for 14 to 15 minutes and we didn’t know what was happening. We glided the aircraft about 80 nautical miles and went down 37,000ft to about 12,000ft. That was when we must have come out of the bottom of the ash cloud. It was a dark old night.”
So far I have not heard anything much on the volcano eruption except how it will effect today’s flying schedules. What of the bigger longer term effects? Oh ye. The weather report did say we should have a good sunset.
Ash Wednesday?
Boadicea's Chariot 
Pseu, by coincidence, I just got off the phone to St Petersburg where one of our VIPs is stranded. I can think of worse places to be stuck for the night.
‘Ash Wednesday’ I like it, you are on ball today. It’s dominated the news stations, the Election is even taking a back seat. I even asked Zen on his early morning post here, if he had anything to with it, see his reply its a cracker.
I made the decision not to get the duster out today as it may be a waste of time;-)
Seriously though, it’s causing major problems to aircraft.
Ash Wednesday?
Isn’t it Thursday today?
I haven’t flown anywhere for at least 15 years….get my gold card next year!
Val, am tending to agree about the dusting!! (Good excuse anyway)
xxx
I’m supposed to be flying to Turkey on Tuesday, I hope they have sorted this by then. A very large cork perhaps or 50 trillian gallons of that stuff you put in punctured tyres.
I believe Bravo is flying the day before that.
Hey look, this one’s flying.
I agree, Ferret … it’s wholly Thursday.
Yes, but the picture was taken last night.
What’s ‘dusting’ ? Isn’t that what you do with icing sugar?
Pseu. No, I took it in January really. It’s the only apt one I had handy.
No, I mean the link I put in, to the Telegraph ‘Picture of the Day’ was taken at sunset yesterday… so on Wednesday, not Thursday as Ferret suggested. 🙂
Maybe you should get your camera ready for the sunset, Val?
Furry Nuff Nym,
Just so long as those Bjork buggers get their geology on and stop fannying about with my holiday plans.
So they’ve got a bit of flooding and the threat of being engulfed in molten lava. I am not sure my flight will leave on time here. Some people are just me, me, me. Inconsiderate barstewards.
Ha, Furry Fumer: not you though, hey?
It is as quiet as anything here today.
The High street outside our office is closed, just a few cars that can turn round, no buses and no planes.
Bliss.
As our airports are closed can we reclaim some of our CO2 credits?
Oh sorry Pseu, I’m not paying attention again.
I think what ever credit we have gained for not flying will be lost in the pollution caused by the eruption.
No wurries, Val!
Thats another thing, the met office and such have issued a satellite image showing the predicted areas where the ash will be suspended. Now they are Scandinavia, western Russia, Northern Europe in parts and just about the entire North Sea.
They then tell us to look out for interesting sunsets. I ain’t know geographer but if the ash is in the east and the sun sets in the west……
So, not even a good sunset to be had out of it?
Maybe sunrise’ll be good, if anyone’s up then?
Well, you are ahead of me Pseu. The first place I read it was on your post.
How big does it have to be to cause this sort of damage?
http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/eeem/gsp/esm/issues/volcanic.htm
The lastest predictions for the plume destinations…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulhudson/2010/04/iceland-volcano-latest.shtml
Not often I’m ahead of anyone Isobel!
Nym,
I remember watching a series on supervolcanoes. Aparently there is a muckle gert big bugger under Yellowstone which, if it goes off will be a global event similar to a nuclear winter scenario.
Head between your knees kiss your bum bye-bye situation.
Not so much as
“I’m Mandy, fly me,”
more a case of
“I’m going Underground” ?
Anyway,
Where’s Mrs Osborne when she’s needed. She’s the high polutin’ geologist. It just isn’t cricket I tell you.
Small furry mammals need to know if they will be flying on Tuesday. 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whSYTSXm8wo
Here I am Ferret, been a bit busy of late.
Unfortunately most of these natural hazards do not turn off like a tap, they can go on for sometime. Mt StHelens did just that, deposited 4′ of ash over half the State in the early 80s.
There can be a hideous knock on effect. Should this carry on you won’t have to worry about planes, more likely look to your fresh food supply. Milk etc, ash in the sky reduces sunlight, reduces photosynthesis, reduces growth of crops etc etc,all are chain reactions. Amplify this up to supervolcanoes that blanket the earth for decades is called mass starvation!
Ooops! wont the AGWers have a field day on the way out the door and won’t even be able to blame us or the bin men.
Regrettably there are a lot of volcanoes and earthquakes on known sites that are cyclical and currently well overdue. Not a good scene really but nothing one can do about it. Haven’t you all noticed how many large earthquakes there have been lately? Continental plates moving push and shove on known volcanoes distorting and pressurising magma chambers, it has to go somewhere! Most generally up and out or a good 7+ earthquake.
Humanity has the arrogance to consider they are reasonably in control of their world, nothing could be further from the truth. Truth told it is a very unstable environment and all totally beyond any control by ourselves however many yoghurt pots you recycle!
Just hope for a change in wind direction.
Interestingly there is a thought that the continents having separated themselves from the initial unified mass of Gondwanaland and having swung apart from a focal point somewhere near the N Pole may have gone to their furthest extent and are now having an inertia effect swinging back towards each other again. So look forward to being rammed into France and N Africa with Newfoundland up your jaxi! Not to worry, only take another 250 billion years! But it appears that Haiti, Chile and the Gulf of California/Mexican earthquakes are all related to this.
Interesting stuff.
Ferret I think you will be flying on Tuesday, don’t flights resume tomorrow morning?
By Tuesday the back log will have left and it’ll be plain sailing for you…or should that be plain flying?
Pseu, love that clip.
Thank you Christina for the geological input.
The clouds have largely cleared here, so I’m hoping for the promised sunset in a few hours.
I think the flights will be reviewed tomorrow morning… the news I heard was ‘at least until 7 am” – earlier on they reported this as 6am.
Have heard it doesn’t look good, still spewing forth ash, CNN. If so, forget any flights for several days.
Hello Pseu. I was just driving through Brownhill in Blackburn, and the place was full of a weird whiteish fog. I stared; I wondered…then nearly swerved head on into the path of a lorry. Phew!
Just like the aftermath of 9/11 as I look up at the sky nada. I did see one jet flying over at 1130am, nothing since then.
Sunset wasn’t that special…
Take care Claire, eyes on the road girl!
Yes, Tocino, the sky was beautifully quiet around here. Interviews ont he radio earlier from folk who live around Heathrow, actually opening thier windows for fresh air as no noise!
Backside says he’s right off flying/volcanoes/Iceland/stiff-upper-lip-commentators. He wants to see some unbridled passion about the cruelty of nature. PS he and I are stuck here in Baron’s Court until Tuesday earliest. Could be worse of course – some people are probably stuck in ‘Ull, ‘Ell or ‘Alifax.
Still quiet. Where are you stuck, Janus?