How does volcanic dust threaten aircraft?

Volcanic dust is a serious danger to the aviation industry because they hinder visibility and damage aircraft engines.

Smoke fumes rise from Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland on April 16.Photo: Reuters .

CNN quoted the US Geological Bureau as saying that aircraft are easy to fall into the dusty space of volcanoes because people can hardly distinguish ordinary clouds and dust clouds, either through the naked eye or through radar.

From the dispersal, smoke dust can drift far away. Volcanic eruption on April 14 in Iceland has caused a huge amount of dust and dust to drift over the Atlantic, causing interruptions in Western European flights.

What if the plane encounters volcanic dust?

According to Airbus, the aircraft must absolutely avoid flying into areas with volcanic dust. Aircraft manufacturers say the fact that dust and smoke can seriously damage the surface of aircraft, windshields, engines. Ventilation, water and electricity systems can also be damaged.

More seriously, volcanic dust when entering the engine can cause damage, corrode parts, causing part or all of the fuel pipes to be blocked.

Volcanic ash contains small particles with a melting temperature lower than the internal temperature of the engine. During flight, these particles will immediately melt if they pass through the engine. When passing the turbine, they will reduce the temperature and stick to the turbine valve, obstructing the pressure of the fuel flow.

The worst thing can happen when the fuel pressure line is disturbed, the engine will stop working

Is it possible to recognize volcanic dust?

According to the US Geological Survey, millions of passengers fly through volcanic areas each year as in Iceland and the North Pacific. It has more than 100 active volcanoes and causes four to five fumes.

When the weather radar cannot identify volcanic dust, the pilot must rely on the volcanic prediction information throughout the journey.

There are currently 9 volcanic dust consulting centers (VAAC) that are allowed by international organizations to provide expert advice to national meteorological agencies on the identification and prediction of mountain dust movement. fire.

Has there been any fatal accident?

So far there have been no fatal accidents, but many aircraft have fallen in the midst of volcanic dust over the years and there have been several accidents almost causing casualties.

On the evening of June 24, 1982, the Boeing 747 of British Airways was controlled by Captain Eric Moody on the journey from London to Aukland and met the ash cloud rising from the volcano Galunggung on Indonesia's Java island. All four aircraft engines were damaged. The crew must give the glider (a non-motorized flight) a long way to escape the cloud of dust, before the engine works again. They diverted and landed safely in Jakarta.

People still remember the calm words of captain Eric Moody when the incident happened.

'Ladies and gentlemen, the captain would like to announce. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped working. We are trying our best to control the situation. I believe you will not be too stressful, ' he said.

One day in December 1989, KLM 867 flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Anchorage, Alaska, USA flew into a blind cloud that looked very normal. They then realized it was a ash cloud erupting from the Redoubt volcano in the Aleutian range. The pilots tried their best to cross the cloud, but all four of the Boeing 747's engines malfunctioned immediately after the backup power system failed.

Eventually the crew restarted two engines at the same time and the aircraft landed safely in Anchorage, though the windshield, the internal engine system, and the aircraft's power system were badly damaged.