Total close down of UK airspace!

[NorgeFly]

What a mess today has become here in the UK! All aircraft to be grounded from noon but most flights from northern UK airports have been grounded since early this morning...

All because of some dust!

Notice the absence of aircraft over most of the UK, at this time it should be crowded with domestic and international flights!



Maybe one day we will have random events like this in the game  

[swiftus27]

dont start with random events.  I've begged all I could.

And wow, I never knew that CDG was so busy.

[NorgeFly]

CDG will be even busier than normal as it seems there are a number of LHR bound flights that wont make it there before it closes and are diverting to CDG.

Latest is that AMS and BRU will also close later today as well as Denmark and Norway where fights have already been grounded.

[Dave4468]

All because of some dust!

Volcanic ash is a little more than just "some dust". Bear in mind it's not ash in the normal sense of the word. It's a fine powdered rock with other assorted nasties in it, namely chunks of glass. Little bit of havoc in a jet engine... 

Also a quip on the matter...
Eyjafjallajoekull Glacier: 1, Striking BA Cabin Crew: 0

[NorgeFly]

Yes you're right, volcanic ash is indeed very nasty stuff when it comes into contact with aircraft. Perhaps calling it "some dust" didn't quite do it justice 

[Sami]

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/data/VAG_1271309704.png

All because of some dust!

Some dust is rather ignorant term of this. Not nice to have the plane sandblowed in the air, or have all of the engines shut down midair due to the stuff out there. 

(I'm just supposed to go to Brussels.. but let's see)

[mtnlion]

"Some dust" 

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

On 24 June 1982, the route was flown by City of Edinburgh, a 747-236B registered G-BDXH. The aircraft flew into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, resulting in the failure of all four engines, although the reason for the failure was not then apparent to the crew or ground control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Flight_867

On 15 December 1989, KLM Flight 867 en route to Narita International Airport, Tokyo from Amsterdam was descending into Anchorage International Airport when the Boeing 747-400, less than 6 months old[1], flew through a thick cloud of volcanic ash from Mount Redoubt.[2] All four engines failed leaving only critical systems on backup electrical power

[NorgeFly]

Some dust is rather ignorant term of this. Not nice to have the plane sandblowed in the air, or have all of the engines shut down midair due to the stuff out there. 

(I'm just supposed to go to Brussels.. but let's see)

I am far from ignorant of the dangers of the dust and was not suggesting at all that it is harmless dust. I work in aviation and am fully aware of the dangers of volcanic dust/ash and was in fact involved in the operations side of things in this mornings first wave of cancellations in the UK.

My point was/is that it's quite amazing to see such widespread disruption due to what ultimately is... dust!

Good luck getting to Brussels, I am supposed to fly tomorrow but suspect that might not happen! But better to be safe than sorry! 

[Sami]

yes, didn't get to go there.. got to the airport just in time to get a call to go back home

[CX717]

A CX A330 also lost both engines prior to landing yesterday, luckily didn't end up like the BA B777...
Not about dust anyway 

[samomuransky]

Copenhagen is closed until noon tomorrow..

I have booked flight arriving there after 2100 so I hope, they'll open it on time...

[mtnlion]

A CX A330 also lost both engines prior to landing yesterday, luckily didn't end up like the BA B777...
Not about dust anyway 

Are you sure they lost both engines?
http://www.avherald.com/h?article=42a1000b&opt=0

[knutm1980]

A BA flight did the same back in the day.

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

[d2031k]

I have a friend who is up on the Shetland Isles (They're NE of Scotland for those don't know ) and he says the air now smells of eggs there.  I'm in Manchester and I'm wondering if the clouds are looking a little yellow.  Has anyone else seen anything unusual?

[Dave4468]

Not as of yet but I'm near Hereford, it'll be a few days before I see anything if at all. Although I have seen reports of the egg smell as far south as Aberdeen.

Hopefully sunsets might be a bit more impressive with some new colours.

And a query, where has the OP got that ATC map from?

[Sami]

Here's one from this afternoon, Norway, North Sweden, North Finland, UK already closed.. (that radar service is now jammed b/c all the traffic coming to that server..)

[attachment expired]

[Tujue]

nice sunset here in Rotterdam, clouds were in purple/red/orange like colors. Couldn't find cam to take pictures

[L1011fan]

All I can say is, WOW!!!!!

[zorbon]

the Netherlands is closed too..

First they go bankrupt and now they send us volcanic ash...

crafty people those Icelandics..

Their volcano gods feed off money...

[knutm1980]

This is becoming an international crisis, people are so angry..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq96Z2uoRas