Icelandic Volcanic Eruption - Significant Disruption to UK Flights

[Alex_6n2]

Hello

 

[TheOtherOption]

Hahaha yea just looking at it now and there are still people there - quite a sight I'd image!

 

[nc11]

so how would my flight to Toronto be routed tomorrow (1500)?? according to the advisory maps, it will have to make quite a detour from Heathrow, going north towards Greenland...

 

[AdamSee]

SPAIN -Update from AENA:


Source

Latest Ash Advisory:

Ahh, I'm flying back to Berlin tomorrow. It's going to be unreasonably close.

Where are you getting the updated pictures from?

 

[Darg]

All my resources for this are here:

http://www.weathercharts.org/satellite-europe.htm - Satellite images
http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/ - Webcams
http://www.flightradar24.com/ - Air traffic
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/vaacuk_vag.html - Ash warnings

EDIT: It's really showing up on the satellite.

 

[Viper²]

Hmm... going to Spain on Monday. Wonder if I'll get (un)lucky.

 

[Darg]

Current flightpath to America:

 

[Cosimo]

Ahh, I'm flying back to Berlin tomorrow. It's going to be unreasonably close.

Where are you getting the updated pictures from?

From: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/vaacuk_vag.html

They come out every 6 hours.

 

[Cosimo]

Latest NATS statement on the volcanic ash situation

Update on Sunday 9 May, 0745

The high density area of the volcanic ash cloud is now lying to the north-west of the UK and as a result, there are currently no restrictions within UK airspace apart from those affecting Inverness, Wick, Kirkwall, Stornaway, Benbecula and Barra airports, which lie within the no-fly zone from 0700 (local) to 1300.

We continue to maintain close dialogue with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice as necessary.

From the BBC:

UK air passengers could face further disruption from a volcanic ash cloud that has affected European flights.

Most of northern Italy's airports are closed until at least midday, and France, Switzerland, and northern Portugal may also be affected.

The Met Office said ash could return to UK airspace on Sunday and next week.

Six Scottish airports will be closed until at least 1300 BST. Flights to Spain, France and Portugal were grounded on Saturday.

According to the European air traffic agency Eurocontrol, Pisa and Florence airports in Italy will be closed between 0600 and 1200 UTC (0700 and 1300 BST) while Santiago, La Coruna and Vigo in Spain will be shut until 0900 UTC (1000 BST).

Source

Ash Advisory:

 

[shifty_uk]

Hmm... going to Spain on Monday. Wonder if I'll get (un)lucky.

I'm flying out in two weeks, I can see this going horribly wrong!

 

[Cosimo]

Latest NATS statement on the volcanic ash situation:

Update on Sunday 9 May, 1145

The high density area of the volcanic ash cloud is now lying to the north-west of the UK and as a result, there are currently no restrictions within UK airspace apart from those affecting Stornaway, Benbecula and Barra airfields, which lie within the no-fly zone from 1300 (local) to 1900.

We continue to maintain close dialogue with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice as necessary.

 

[apeZ]

Why do the American flights need to be detoured? Can't they just fly above the ash cloud?

 

[Jokester]

Why do the American flights need to be detoured? Can't they just fly above the ash cloud?

The ash cloud over the atlantic affects all flight altitudes according to the map. Due to the curvature of the Earth it probably isn't that big a detour - flights over the Atlantic tend to go that anyway as it means they're closer to alternative airfields in case of emergency.

 

[Scuzi]

The ash cloud over the atlantic affects all flight altitudes according to the map. Due to the curvature of the Earth it probably isn't that big a detour - flights over the Atlantic tend to go that anyway as it means they're closer to alternative airfields in case of emergency.

They fly up over Iceland and Greenland sometimes to take advantage of the upper winds and because that route is in fact shorter. They fly great circle tracks which on a flat map look to be longer and curved but on a globe it's a straight line and usually the shortest distance. It has nothing to do with being close to land unless they go so far out that they go outside the flying time margins for ETOPS, a rule that governs twin engined aircraft's ability to land safely in the event of the loss of an engine.

The north Atlantic tracks vary day by day and are usualy dictated by the upper winds and jetstream (and more recently volcanic ash!). We consider them either "north about" or "south about". North about would be routing via Iceland or Greenland or exiting the UK over Ulster. South about would be routing via the south of Ireland and over south Wales or even out by Lands End direction.

 

[Cosimo]

For information on the ongoing European air traffic situation:

https://www.cfmu.eurocontrol.int/PUBPORTAL/gateway/spec/index.html

and expand the volcanic ash item in “Network Headline News” at the top right of the page.

The link above comes from the EUROCONTROL news page.

 

[Cosimo]

Latest NATS statement on the volcanic ash situation

Update on Sunday 9 May, 1845

The high density area of the volcanic ash cloud is now lying to the north-west of the UK and, as a result, there are currently no restrictions within UK airspace apart from an area in north-west Scotland affecting Barra airfield, which lies within the no-fly zone from 1900 (local) to 0100 tomorrow morning.

 

[NightSt@lk3r]

Blowing well tonight, and weather is perfect.

 

[Gangster]

Thought this had died down

 

[NightSt@lk3r]

What a show tonight, the height of the lava burst's are unbelievable.

 

[PhillyDee]

You sod!

I was going to post a similar (But yet smaller ) one.

Do not suppose I will bother now.