Any of our friends in Iceland see this?

saw it on the news this AM and i mean WOW. just freakin nuts!

WTH ya gonna do when a GLACIER MELTS?

RUN FOREST, RRRRUUUUN!!!

TOO CLOSE!

Looks like the locals are going on a marshmellow roasting binge.

Really impressive pictures!

Airborne ash particulates are devastating to turbine engines. Physical erosion of the the compressor and turbine sections occurs very rapidly which can result in catastrophic failure or a severe loss of efficiency. Not something airlines need with the troubles they already have economically. Worst case is a crash from engine failure.

ifn it is? it aint gonna be for long!

Tell me about it! I'm surprised the trains are still running. It's quite remarkable that the electricity hasn't been cut off too.

Heh, I guess I'd better clean my air filter.

They have to cancel air flights in cases like this, because as Ioneater posted; the ash is catastrophic to jet engines & sandblasts the windshields but also because, unlike thunderclouds etc., they can't pick it up on radar, therefore pilots can't just fly around it, because they don't know where exactly it will be at any given moment.

There was a great episode of 'Mayday' which a 747? heading to Australia (IIRC) flew thru an ash cloud, lost all 4 engines and came within a few minutes of crashing before some of the engines restarted. The windshields were essentially sandblasted opaque, leaving the pilots flying blind.

Here are some pretty cool pics of dirty lightning. Didn't know there was such a thing.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36645958?GT1=43001

Mother nature sure can be devestaing and also she can sometimes be beautiful at the same time.

volcanology is amazing, i personally never misseed an episode of star trek.

I know, I'm late to the party. I had to post up on this as I was reading what you said and I remembered the story of that flight. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine! :shocked:

It happened in 1982. It was British Airways Flight #9. Here is a link to the story (video) done by National Geographic. http://aviationknowledge.wikidot.com/asi:volcanic-dust

Amazing photo's. I lived in Northern Oregon as a kid when MT. St Helens blew (5/18/1980).