The Anonymous Widower

Can We Fly Round the Volcanic Cloud?

I’ve never flown an airliner, but I have flown over a 1,000 hours in small aircraft.

So let’s put in a few stories.

• I have flown to Cardiff airport many times and several times when I have been there, British Airways have been doing circuits and practice landings and take-offs in a 747.
• I once flew into Dulles airport on a very quiet Sunday and the pilot did a short approach turning on to finals at just a few hundred feet.
• I read a safety report about a pilot who ditched and had his MayDay call answered by a TWA 747.  It then did steep turns at a few hundred feet to mark his life-raft.

So contrary to what you may think, big aircraft like 747s and Airbus 330/340/380 are not lumbering giants, but very manoeuvrable aircraft that can fly happily at lower levels.  It doesn’t do too much for their fuel consumption though. 

Now the volcanic cloud is generally above 3,000 feet, so could we not fly to Spain, which is open?  It would need to be  in Visual Flight Rules, but it would surely be possible to create an airbridge to say Madrid.  Most of the flight would be over water and it should not be difficult to create a low-level airway.

Why has there been so little talk of doing this?

There was one article in the Daily Mail. Read it!

April 19, 2010 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Flying, Volcanoes