Posted on 04/19/2010 4:12:48 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Air traffic in Sweden and Europe is currently paralyzed due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland. How could a local event in the furthest reaches of Northern Europe paralyze an entire continent?
The reason is that the ash that fills the air following a volcanic eruption has a much denser content than a normal dust or ash cloud. The ash affects air-traffic safety in a number of ways. The ash comprises minerals, which are extremely small and hard rock particles. They are so hard that they can have a blasting effect on the aircraft’s cockpit windowpanes when an aircraft meets an ash could at high speeds. However, the most serious aspect of encountering an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption is neither the aforementioned nor visibility problems. The hard ash entails severe wear on all engine components; blades and blisks are worn down very rapidly. The ash contains sulfur, which leads to rapid chemical erosion and in turn to risks of fractures and blade damage.
Just as serious is the fact that the ash promptly enters a number of spaces in the engine and subsequently melts in the combustion chamber due to the heat. This soon causes build-ups in the turbine, which grow and inhibit the performance of the engine. In the worst case, it shuts down entirely. In addition to causing corrosion and build-up, cooling vents in the engine can also be blocked by the ash, which in turn causes the temperature in the turbine to rise sharply, thus melting the turbine blades.
The ash could also contaminate the oil and seep into the air-conditioning system, as well as the cooling system for the technical systems in the aircraft. As if this were not enough, the ash could
(Excerpt) Read more at volvoaero.com ...
“entire continent?”
I have offices throughout europe. England is “concerned”.. Germany, France, Spain, Neitherlands - all fine.
What continent are they speaking of?
Eurpoe
Yeah, but other than that stuff, what’s the big deal?
Its interesting
Eurpoe, Eurpee, Eurpum.
I corrected it in post#4
FOD
yerr-up
On 15 December 1989, KLM Flight 867 en route to Narita International Airport, Tokyo from Amsterdam was descending into Anchorage International Airport, Alaska when all four engines failed. The Boeing 747-400, less than 6 months old,[1] flew through a thick cloud of volcanic ash from Mount Redoubt,[2] which had erupted the day before.
All four engines failed leaving only critical systems on backup electrical power. One report assigns the engine shutdown to the turning of the ash into a glass coating inside the engines that fooled the engine temperature sensors and led to an auto-shutdown of all four engines.
Transcript:
The following transmissions took place between Anchorage Center, the air traffic control facility for that region, and KLM 867
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘KLM 867 heavy is reaching level 250 heading 140’’
• Anchorage Center—‘‘Okay, Do you have good sight on the ash plume at this time?’’
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘Yea, it’s just cloudy it could be ashes. It’s just a little browner than the normal cloud.’’
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘We have to go left now. . . it’s smoky in the cockpit at the moment, sir.’’
• Anchorage Center—‘‘KLM 867 heavy, roger, left at your discretion.’’
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘Climbing to level 390, we’re in a black cloud, heading 130.’’
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘KLM 867 we have flame out all engines and we are descending now!’’
• Anchorage Center—‘‘KLM 867 heavy, Anchorage?
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘KLM 867 heavy, we are descending now. . . we are in a fall!’’
• Pilot KLM B–747—‘‘KLM 867, we need all the assistance you have, sir. Give us radar vectors please!’’
We've flown into a cloud of volcanic ash and must make an emergency landing!
It clogs the fuel system by replacing Air. The large particles will reduce the amount of oxygen in a mole of combustible material. At high altitudes, this is very important. Some piston airplane flights will require an oxygen tank setup, that is meant to enrich the oxygen content (Enrich ? I guess... purposely lean it out ?) for high altitude flights. I saw a lot of Colorado pilots with this system.
I’m not a pilot, so I am no pro-but I can see how ash will mess up EVERYTHING in a flight. I’m glad airlines are on the side of caution... even though - yeah - it costs dearly.
As a 4 wheeler, think of the ash metaphor as the difference between driving in mud, or driving in clay. Clay can make your day really miserable.
Euroruptm?
“Why aircraft are unable to fly in ash clouds”
It’s more abrasive than Michelle Obama.
The short answer is; airplanes suck wind.
Q. Why Air Force One is unable to fly in ash clouds?
A. Obummer is already in trouble up to his ash heading for a cr-—ash-landing.
LOL
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