Volcanic ash cloud cripples Britain, apparently...

[Count Zero]

And the only way off the British Isles is by train. It must be busy there!

Actually, we recently invented a secret new technology called "boats". They float on water as if by magic.

Lies! Lies!

 

[Lindley]

It takes a hell of a lot more fuel for jets to fly lower than 8000 feet due to the atmosphere being a lot denser than at 55,000 feet.

I have never been on a plane that flew at 55,000 feet.

True, most jetliners have service ceilings at or below 45000. Still, the difference in fuel requirements are significant.

 

[Jadzia]

I saw a plane flying this afternoon, but only one. It was only a light aircraft, which may not be affected by this grounding. Or maybe the pilot was breaking the restriction?

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I saw a plane flying this afternoon, but only one. It was only a light aircraft, which may not be affected by this grounding. Or maybe the pilot was breaking the restriction?

Obviously some rebel doing a Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.

In other news.... it's apparently safe to fly up North again...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8626404.stm

 

[Omnius]

And the only way off the British Isles is by train. It must be busy there!

Actually, we recently invented a secret new technology called "boats". They float on water as if by magic.

Lies! Lies!

What she said!

 

[JiNX-01]

And the only way off the British Isles is by train. It must be busy there!

Actually, we recently invented a secret new technology called "boats". They float on water as if by magic.

 

[Marten]

It was really funny how all the news correspondants were delivering reports about the dangerous cloud of ash that has brought the UK's air travel industry to a standstill, whilst you could see the clear blue skies in the background.

One can't see oxygen, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. As is the case here.

 

[trekkiedane]

I saw a plane flying this afternoon, but only one. It was only a light aircraft, which may not be affected by this grounding. Or maybe the pilot was breaking the restriction?

On that radar-map I linked to earlier I've seen a couple of planes in the areas that were all but emptied throughout the day -my guess is that it was Cessna-size planes at low altitudes though.

 

[Lindley]

I saw a plane flying this afternoon, but only one. It was only a light aircraft, which may not be affected by this grounding. Or maybe the pilot was breaking the restriction?

If the ash is only a problem above 18000 feet, then there's no reason light aircraft would be affected. Most of them can't even get that high. Any plane without turbocharged engines will have a service ceiling around 15000, and any unpressurized aircraft will typically remain below 12500 unless terrain forces them to (temporarily) go higher.

Still, a smart pilot would probably choose another day to go up rather than tempting fate.

 

[MANT!]

The risks are lower for piston engined aircraft than for turbine types...

the silica in the ejecta melts then coats the interior parts of a turbojet/turbofan/turboprop engine eventually causing a serious loss of power or even a flame-out...which usually restarts below 10K feet...but the engine is completly ruined and requires a major overhaul upon landing..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9

Piston engines, due to the high pressures inside the cylinders, only show a higher rate of wear inside..the only issue with piston engines would be clogging of the air filters...

the following video shows several aircraft flying around during the 1944 eruption of Mt Vesuvius...all piston engined types..



[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bsmv6PyKs0[/yt]


perhaps we should bring back pistoned engined airliners as backups...

 

[James Bond]

Someone correct my ignorance

I already have a full time job.

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

Nothing to see, folks. And remember Krakatoa!

Didn't Karkatoa shift the planet's orbit a little bit?

BTW my sister was to fly home to Germany tomorrow. I don't know if that'll be possible now.

AND

I also heard more planes were grounded due to the ash then the aftermath of 9/11

 

[AdAstra]

I'm supposed to fly to Saint-Petersburg from Paris tomorrow (and from St-Pete's to Amsterdam on Wednesday)...

We'll see what happens. I just hope that if I do get to Russia, I'll be able to get back on time!

 

[Count Zero]

BTW my sister was to fly home to Germany tomorrow. I don't know if that'll be possible now.

Well, the airspace over Germany will be closed until Sunday mornig 2 am CET at least, possibly until Sunday afternoon. However, various airports in Southern Europe are still open, e.g. Rome. So maybe her flight will get diverted and she could take the train from there.
This seems to be the Chancellor's plan at the moment. She's flown to Rome from Lissabon. It's a long way to Berlin but not as long as from Lissabon. Meanwhile, our Minister of Defense is still stranded in Istanbul.

 

[GodThingFormerly]

^English speakers spell/pronounce it "Lisbon", actually.

SLR

 

[captcalhoun]

i did wonder where the hell Lissabon was...

 

[GodThingFormerly]

i did wonder where the hell Lissabon was...

It's the German spelling, just like "Cologne" is the English spelling/pronunciation of "Köln".

SLR

 

[MetalPants]

i did wonder where the hell Lissabon was...

It's the German spelling.

SLR

You learn something new every day.

 

[Count Zero]

I had just read the article, hence the wrong spelling. Lisbon is closer to the actual spelling Lisboa, anyway.

 

[jmc247]

Its been awhile since there has been a decient eruption. We have had significant activity between the tectonic plates this years (causing the Earthquakes in Chile, Haiti and elsewhere). It was only a matter of time before it triggered a volcanic eruption.