• Question: Why did the ash from the volcano a few weeks ago ground all the planes?

    Asked by sciencysciencepeople to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Marianne Baker

      Marianne Baker answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Here you go!

      From my first university 😀

    • Photo: Andrew Maynard

      Andrew Maynard answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Hi sciencysciencepeople,

      There was a worry that flying through the ash cloud could cause damage to planes, and endanger the lives of the people aboard. Volcanic ash can potentially damage planes in a number of ways – it can mess up the windows so the pilots can’t see as well; it can interfere with sensors so that the instruments don’t work properly (or the plane controls); and it can clog the engines, causing them to cut out.

      The trouble is, it isn’t too clear how much volcanic ash – and what type – is dangerous. But as any plane crash that was a result of flying through the cloud would be catastrophic, the decision was made to be cautious and not allow planes to fly through the cloud.

      There may have just been a small chance of something going wrong – but how would you feel if your parents or friends were on a plane that crashed because someone decided the risk was worth while?

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      sciencyscienceDudes/dudettes. The answer to that is that the proper authorities knew volcanic ash to be a problem but didn’t know exactly what level of ash would cause the engines on planes to go kaput.

      Instead of doing the sensible experiment which would have been to send plane-loads of holidaymakers up there to see at what level of ash they came plummetting out of the sky to their death, they waited until they had the results of specially planned non-passenger flights and nobody died (Only problem with the approach was they weren’t safe enough. They let the commercial air-lines (who had a vested interest in their planes flying even if it was a bit dodgy)do the tests).

      I heard a conspiracy theory that AndrewM advised them to ground the planes so that he could fly plane-loads of supporters over to infiltrate UK schools and vote for him in imascientist2010 (he is rather well-off don’t you know!)

      PS marianne hasn’t flown before but will do so next week. Maybe it’s time to start asking her about why so many planes have crashed recently?

Comments