Ash. . . what ash?
Well, another clear blue sky day in AMS with the airport/airspace still closed.
I get the problems, I really do, but with the IR and Doppler technology could we not go around any dangerous plumes on a real time basis, even at a much reduced rate of traffic flow? It would be just like Chinese airspace.
Seriously though, I understand that the FAA is not on board with the extent of the closures on some of the conference calls anyway. I've been around ash clouds, and landed in a sand storm or two (Saudi Arabian silica) and as I said I do understand the potential threat, but it appears to be a little over done here. I also get that looking straight up does not tell me what's going on across Europe, but I'm guessing that since it's been a few day's of gin clear across much of the area, I am starting to wonder.
Someone with extensive VA knowledge please feel free to set me straight. My wife is currently not in the room to do so, so I'd appreciate it.
And on a simpler note, I'm not saying that Eurocontrol should open the airspace anytime soon as I still have the Heineken factory to tour. And as it's sunny and 16 deg in AMS today, hanging around a pub on Dam Square is not such a bad thing.
Oh yea, any VFR traffic flying around at the moment? Could one hop a Navajo across the channel?
Cheers!