Eyjafjallajokull volcano

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 19 Apr 2010, 12:31

I don't think that this is totally a safety issue.

How much profit does, say, a Ryanair flight make?

How much of an expensive engine lifetime would be consumed by a minor - but safe - exposure to volcanic ash cost?

Why make £15k from a flight if you have to spend £20k in engine depreciation, engine checks and possible repairs plus downtime?

For sale: One shiny jetplane - only minor exposure to that Icelandic ash back in 2010 .. good runner. Contact Trotters Triffic Transport, round the back of where the Roxy Cinema used to be."

Keela · Post by **Keela** » 19 Apr 2010, 13:08

tattercoats wrote:Disaster looms? Plant stuff! Oil prices soar? Plant stuff! Having a down day? Plant stuff! I am in some ways a simple soul!

I can relate to your strategy!

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 19 Apr 2010, 14:01

The British are very adaptable. Even a 10-year shortage of computer chip imports due to volcanic ash clouds can't block the Bulldog Spirit!

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 19 Apr 2010, 14:15

Ho ho.

I saw a headline about millions being 'haemorrhaged' out of the economy because of cruel mother nature.

Where have these millions gone? Who on earth has syphoned them off? We need to know!

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 19 Apr 2010, 14:23

"Where have these millions gone? Who on earth has syphoned them off?"

Bedrock Barney · Post by **Bedrock Barney** » 19 Apr 2010, 14:39

Just returned from a two week family skiing trip to Norway and, for once, my aversion to flying has paid off (in the eyes of others that is). Our view of the world yesterday afternoon:-

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UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 19 Apr 2010, 14:40

RalphW wrote:The airlines are getting more vocal about being allowed back into the air. They are running these test flights to 'prove' that there is no danger, even though ten flights without incident or measurable damage means nothing when one crash in 100,000 flights would be unacceptable.

It does make good PR for the airlines when asking for a bailout. "You cost us billions and stranded hundreds of thousands of our customers without cause!"

25 years ago we could not have monitored this dust, and the planes would have kept flying, with instructions to fly around any dense dust clouds.

I think it is only a matter of days before politics intervenes and some sort of flying is re-introduced over the heads of the air traffic controllers.

Probably true, but what would then happen if a plane falls out of the sky? It would be suicidal for the airlines and safety authorities to make the wrong call.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 19 Apr 2010, 15:11

Just got this advisory email.

ROFL.

Dear All,

We have just heard that Professor Richard Ashley, who was due to give the Sustainable Development lecture on Wednesday evening (21 April), is stuck in San Francisco and cannot get back to the UK because of the aircraft flight ban in Europe.

The lecture will be therefore have to be postponed. I will let you know when a new date has been scheduled.

Kind regards.

Centre for Engineering for Sustainable Development
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 19 Apr 2010, 16:15

UndercoverElephant wrote:
RalphW wrote:The airlines are getting more vocal about being allowed back into the air. They are running these test flights to 'prove' that there is no danger, even though ten flights without incident or measurable damage means nothing when one crash in 100,000 flights would be unacceptable.

It does make good PR for the airlines when asking for a bailout. "You cost us billions and stranded hundreds of thousands of our customers without cause!"

25 years ago we could not have monitored this dust, and the planes would have kept flying, with instructions to fly around any dense dust clouds.

I think it is only a matter of days before politics intervenes and some sort of flying is re-introduced over the heads of the air traffic controllers.
Probably true, but what would then happen if a plane falls out of the sky? It would be suicidal for the airlines and safety authorities to make the wrong call.

Agreed. Safety considerations should be paramount in any decision taken by European governments.

Latest news from the Beeb: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8630455.stm

contadino · Post by **contadino** » 19 Apr 2010, 16:20

RalphW wrote:Just got this advisory email.

ROFL.

Dear All,

We have just heard that Professor Richard Ashley, who was due to give the Sustainable Development lecture on Wednesday evening (21 April), is stuck in San Francisco and cannot get back to the UK because of the aircraft flight ban in Europe.

The lecture will be therefore have to be postponed. I will let you know when a new date has been scheduled.

Kind regards.

Centre for Engineering for Sustainable Development
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge

That's very good. Maybe he's not the most suitable person to be lecturing on sustainability.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 19 Apr 2010, 20:16

Hey Barney, respect to you, totally hard core!!!

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 19 Apr 2010, 20:18

Andy Hunt wrote:Hey Barney, respect to you, totally hard core!!!

Yeh, but where's the swimming pool, tennis court and cocktail bar?

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 19 Apr 2010, 20:35

Wall Street Journal - 19/04/10

Volcanic Ash Hinders Crew Changes At UK Offshore Oil Platforms

Article continues ...

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 19 Apr 2010, 20:37

foodimista wrote: Does that answer your questions?

Thankyou, though I guess they were a rhetorical questions

This is the picture of the inside of the Finnish F18 fighter plane that accidentally hit the ash cloud last Thursday. It's no good folk saying there is no problem.

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getA ... emID=33774

tattercoats · Post by **tattercoats** » 19 Apr 2010, 23:02

Well... I know you didn't intend it as a challenge, Emordnilap, but my brain took it as one anyway.

So I tweaked the spelling to emphasise the intended scansion and pronunciation (there are several on offer, I've picked one), and nicked the tune to 'Oh, Dear, What can the Matter be?' because I'm going to make other people sing this with me given half a chance.

HOW DO YOU SAY THAT AGAIN?

Eyja-fjattla-joekutl! No more con-trail over the capital
Pretty soon the pound in your pocket’ll suffer if this goes on.

I’m glad I’m not stranded in China or Zanzibar
Singapore, Delhi or Ghana or Malagar
Given what’s happening, who’d want to go that far?
How do you say it again?

Eyja-fjattla-joekutl! No more con-trail over the capital
Pretty soon the pound in your pocket’ll suffer if this goes on.

It’s terribly bad for the African growers
Of fruits and of vegetables, likewise of flowers
If they could grow their food and we could grow ours –
Now, how do you say that again?

Eyja-fjattla-joekutl! No more con-trail over the capital
Pretty soon the pound in your pocket’ll suffer if this goes on.

This is just ash from a baby volcano
We’re grounded from Finland to Easton’Gordano
Will big sister Katla be wakened again? – oh,
Remind me how it goes again:

Eyja-fjattla-joekutl! No more con-trail over the capital
Pretty soon the pound in your pocket’ll suffer if this goes on.

Words by & © Talis Kimberley 19th April 2010

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I'm nearly sorry...