IMechE's latest report is 'Volcanic Ash: To fly or not to fly?'
The quiet skies of Europe
In April and May 2010, large areas of European airspace were closed due to
the eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull.
During this unprecedented time, 33 nations grounded over 100,000 flights,
resulting in 5,000,000 travellers being stranded around the world. This
disruption is estimated to have cost the European economy between €1.5–2.5bn.
So why was this volcanic eruption so disruptive?
In the Institution of Mechanical Engineer’s latest report, Volcanic Ash: To
fly or not to fly?, we examine the set of circumstances which led to the
shut-down of some of the world’s busiest airports, and what possible courses of
action the airline manufacturers and regulators could undertake to prevent such
an occurrence happening again in the future.
