Have a read of the linked document from FlightGlobal. They reported on the results of volcanic ash in jet engines almost 30 years ago. I wish I could get every moaner and whinger on Facebook (I have at least two of my "friends" complaining about the ash) and get them to read this:

Clicky...

Ash density is an issue. We've all read about BA FLIGHT 9, but obviously that was a dense cloud right over a volcano. What we have now is much thinner. If the airlines want to fly, let them. The cost of replacing damaged engines would be far greater than the cost of delays. If they've tested their aircraft and think it's safe, them I'm happy for them to fly.

Apparently the rules are changing so that there has to be more density in the cloud before flights are cancelled.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8688517.stm

I don’t want to be the airline person responsible for clearing up the mess after a flight goes down because of this. I think I’ll stick with trains and cars.

Doesn't all rather suppose that the density of the ash is a constant within a cloud system? I'd sort of half expect there to be pockets of denser ash, seeing as nature tends not to organise itself as neatly as we'd like.

It also affects the long term efficiency of the aircraft and therefore the profitability of the aircraft. Though I would think that the insurers should be allowed to refuse to cover the aircraft if they fly through ash. That way if the aircraft crashes the airline is ruined at the same time, rather than them taking unnecessary risks at the expense of insurers.

Airlines risking their planes is one thing. Risking the lives of staff and passengers is quite another.

Airlines have called for the decision to fly to be taken by them rather than regulators. Are they insane? Of course there's not the slightest conflict of interest there, what with the decision being affected by profit motive etc.

We also had the photos at work of the Finnish jets who spent as little as 15 minutes flying in the ash. The insides of the engines looked as though they'd been sandblasted. I'd rather not think of something like that attempting to hold me up in the air....

I'm flying Ryanair to Denmark on Thursday.


Wish me luck.

I might take my wetsuit as the North sea is still cold this time of year. Hell it's cold all year round.

I presume that the limits will be made looser and looser until a plane crashes, then it will be "how was this allowed to happen" and lawsuites all round

+1

And the worse bit will be that the airlines will claim that because they were not stopped from flying that they should not be liable for losses and that the government are liable.