ICAO strategy works effectively with ash cloud

A system put in place by ICAO after several major incidents with volcanic ash in the 1980s worked very effectively in Europe yesterday when an Icelandic volcano erupted.

The Volcanic Ash Warning System was established to rapidly alert flight crews and airlines to the presence of dangerous ash clouds which can threaten airliners.

In this case the ash affected some of the globe's busiest airspace, but the rapid distribution of alerts to air traffic control centres across Europe enabled EUROCONTROL to keep hundreds of aircraft out of the way.

There are nine Volcanic Ash Alert Centres covering the world as part of the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW) established by ICAO.

Each of the nine centres under the IAVW responds to reports of volcanic ash within their region and provides forecasts to the aviation community of ash cloud extent and movement.

Observations may come from ground stations and volcano observatories, aircraft in flight or orbiting satellites.

The ash warnings issued are in the form of Volcanic Ash Advisories and SIGMETs describing the current and future extent of the ash.

Vulcanologists expect the cloud to dissipate in time, but are not prepared to define a time line. In the meantime substantial parts of European airspace are empty of air traffic.