Eyjafjallayökull vents.
April 18, 2010 7:14 AM Subscribe
"so one lab in UK (are there any volcanoes there) runs a simulation and a few experts in eurocontrol decide it is true, with no facts on their hands..."
The Professional Pilots Rumour Network (PPRuNe) was probably a useful place to get information about the great ash-cloud disruption for the first day or so after the eruption started. Now, though, a fair proportion of the comments are from self-important businessmen who are stuck in Kazakhstan or wherever, venting like Eyjafyallajökull itself about how it didn't ought to be allowed, it's health and safety gone mad, little bit of volcanic ash never hurt me, these scientists would have us all sitting in caves, it's the British government that won't allow flights because of the election and "the only possible risk is higher maintenance cost due reduced engine life!!!"
Oh--and the odd actual aviation professional pointing out that, no, NATS did not unilaterally decide to shut down all air traffic over the UK without consultation with any other body; and that yes, actually, volcanic ash isn't very good for jet engines, and flying at 500mph through a cloud of silicate particles actually can damage your windscreen, thereby making it kind of hard to see the runway; and that other European countries that aren't about to have an election have also considered it necessary to close their airspace...
NB--Several people I know have been caught out by this, one of whom will be sleeping on my couch on the wrong side of the Atlantic until flights start up again. I can understand the frustration. But these numpties venting about scientists and bureaucrats aren't helping anyone.
The Professional Pilots Rumour Network (PPRuNe) was probably a useful place to get information about the great ash-cloud disruption for the first day or so after the eruption started. Now, though, a fair proportion of the comments are from self-important businessmen who are stuck in Kazakhstan or wherever, venting like Eyjafyallajökull itself about how it didn't ought to be allowed, it's health and safety gone mad, little bit of volcanic ash never hurt me, these scientists would have us all sitting in caves, it's the British government that won't allow flights because of the election and "the only possible risk is higher maintenance cost due reduced engine life!!!"
Oh--and the odd actual aviation professional pointing out that, no, NATS did not unilaterally decide to shut down all air traffic over the UK without consultation with any other body; and that yes, actually, volcanic ash isn't very good for jet engines, and flying at 500mph through a cloud of silicate particles actually can damage your windscreen, thereby making it kind of hard to see the runway; and that other European countries that aren't about to have an election have also considered it necessary to close their airspace...
NB--Several people I know have been caught out by this, one of whom will be sleeping on my couch on the wrong side of the Atlantic until flights start up again. I can understand the frustration. But these numpties venting about scientists and bureaucrats aren't helping anyone.
This post was deleted for the following reason: "This is a crappy resource" isn't usually a good reason for a post in any case, and this reads more like a blog entry than a Metafilter post. Please avoid personal editorializing in posts in the future. -- cortex
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posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:34 AM on April 18, 2010