This has to be the first natural disaster in history where the people effected received international financial aid before the disaster happened.

What the heck?

"EU ministers reached the deal to gradually ease restrictions" (Euronews)

Deal over what? Quantity of ash?

Some more pics:

http://www.boston.com/bigpictu ... s_disruptive_volcano.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpictu ... rom_eyjafjallajokull.html

Quote from 5haz :

My Geology teacher is stuck in Ecuador.

Surely this whole thing has gone over the top, there have been far bigger eruptions than this with far more ash and gases added to the atmosphere around the world, but they've never felt the need to shut off an entire continent's worth of airspace before.

According to wiki, they have done this before....

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

Where does it say that?

Quote :

Although the airspace around Mount Galunggung was closed temporarily after the incident, it was re-opened days later.

Quote from J@tko :

Where does it say that?

Next sentence mate,

Quote :

It was only after a Singapore Airlines 747 was forced to shut down three of its engines while flying through the same area nineteen days later (13 July), that Indonesian authorities closed the airspace permanently and re-routed airways to avoid the area, and a watch was set up to monitor clouds of ash.

Part of Indonesia is a far smaller area than most of Europe.

Quote from niall09 :

Next sentence mate,

lol Reading fail

Indonesia isn't quite a continent on it's own though

EDIT: Ah no - "the airspace" in that sentence is only the stuff around the volcano.

Quote from 5haz :

Part of Indonesia is a far smaller area than most of Europe.

What was it? Mount Falunggong?

Still I am wondering how can you close airspace according to dispersion model for a cloud not measuring actual quantities?

The government closed the airspace so we wouldn't be able to see the aliens. It's so obvious... :hide:

Bang Goes the Theory actually covered this in the show today. For those who don't know what Bang Goes the Theory is, it's basically a science/entertainment/educational show on the BBC, and it's very good. They explained why the airspace was closed on this occasion when other volcanic eruptions have had very little impact on air travel in comparison. Basically this type of volcano produces smaller and coarser ash, because it's smaller it travels further in the air and rises higher, and because it's coarser it causes more damage to aircraft and jet engines.

It will probably be on youtube at some point for those of you who can't access the iPlayer, but it's well worth watching.

I had a look at air traffic control earlier today and there where 4 planes over the UK, one Lufthanse flight I recall was flying from Frankfurt to NY, and at the time was over Wales - but I didnt check the altitude. As I write this there are two airliners and a Cessna (prop aircraft) over mainland Britain, so planes are flying, just not many ...? *scratches head*

Skies are still completely empty when they would normally be full of contrails, haven't seen a single airliner for a week almost when normally there would be loads all all different heights.

I've only seen a couple of light aircraft since the explosive eruption started.

Its noticably quiet which is nice.

EDIT: Heres a slightly interesting old doccumentary about volcanoes in Iceland and another famous eruption in the 70s where a volcano suddenly appeared in a field next to a town.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ... UrU9U&feature=related

royal navy ftw

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tra ... tourists-home-troops.html

The problem is there are no known limits of ash (as there is many types of) that are safe for jet engines. As it was said in this discussion:

Quote :

Q:Would it be possible to publish alternative aviation maps for ash / non ash conditions, so that aviation authorities have more flexibillity in closing or reallocating airspace without exposing aircraft to more than a determined safe limit of ash density?

A: The case is being made by the airline community for much better analysis of what the ash cloud contains and the likely impact on the airframe and engines.
The EU has called a meeting of the various safety authorities for later this week to discuss this and other allied issues.
More testing by airframe and aero engine manufacturers will most probably be the likely outcome.
I would stronly expect the airlines to keep pressure on to ensure this is done in timely order!

So any quantity of ash can trigger an airspace closure

I saw a contrail over Leeds today, either an A340 or a 747, it was too high up to tell.

Just the one all day though.

Quote from Renku :

Some more pics:

http://www.boston.com/bigpictu ... s_disruptive_volcano.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpictu ... rom_eyjafjallajokull.html

Wow, some awesome pictures there!

Things look back to normal. Highlighted is the flight that kept getting cancelled on me, damn volcanoes - if I find who fired it i'm going to blow me fuse at them.

Hmm, that looks interesting, where do you get that Becky?

Ah sweet, thanks Franky

Now thats cool, I'm looking out the window at the same aircraft I can see on screen.

Today, FIRST time since Eyf^ckyoutrytofly burst out, the airport in Reykjavik has been closed.

Quote from AndRand :

Today, FIRST time since Eyf^ckyoutrytofly burst out, the airport in Reykjavik has been closed.

WTF!

Crazy people in Iceland.