When Will Revenue Override Prudence?
| 4/19/2010 | Posted by Patti under Environment, World News, World Politics |
As the volcano in Iceland continues to spew forth ash and the cloud continues to spread itself across Europe and now apparently to the eastern shores of North America I’ve wondered how long the airlines would be tolerant of the prudence being shown by the air traffic controllers.
I’m going to say at the outset, I have never flown on an aircraft and at this point in my life have never had a need to. I have on occasion turned my vehicle into a flying vehicle due to lead footitis but I’ve never left the ground.
I’m sure millions of travellers stuck in countries they are trying to leave would certainly like to see planes flying to get them home. Over the weekend some European airlines sent up test flights through the volcanic ash cloud. At this point, they seem to be claiming their planes returned without any problems or damage.
Affected airlines are losing millions of dollars a day as this situation continues to drag on. Weather forecasters are now saying this will likely continue for days at a minimum and possible weeks depending on how long it takes this volcano to settle down. Meanwhile a NATO F-16 who flew through the cloud area reportedly has sustained damage to its engines.
From the material I’ve read, most volcanoes initial eruption sends ash cloud into the air and then it settles as the volcano sends out molten lava. The Iceland volcano is erupting within a ice-field which means that the lava is being cooled by the ice which it hasn’t been able to instantly melt, this sends more and more ash cloud into the sky.
Weather patterns, not just winds, move the cloud around. Right now a high pressure system extending from Newfoundland to Iceland is pulling cloud from Iceland towards Canadian shores as it turns in a clockwise pattern. Two low pressure systems are sitting just below that high pressure and are moving counterclockwise. At least one of those lows will pull some of the cloud out of the high and down the eastern US seaboard.
And we thought there was chaos happening in Europe.
It appears that winds and weather patterns are capable of moving this grit filled cloud farther and faster than expected just as airlines are getting really anxious about the millions they are losing.
Were their test flights successful or are they wilfully overlooking effects which could potentially have devastating effects on planes making their way through the skies? Will world governments give into pressure from airlines and stranded passengers to get them to their destinations?
Even more frightening will be the prospect of planes full of hundreds of passengers at a time playing Russian roulette in the name of world commerce. Mother nature has a devastating way of showing us just who is in control doesn’t she?
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