What to do about todays solar storm?
 

hey all,

I understand that airlines are diverting aircraft away from the polar route due to a huge increase in solar activity today.

Does anybody know what routes these US/Asia bound aircraft are taking instead? How far south is considered safe?

Any info would be appreciated.

Stay in your bunker until the all clear is sounded, if on the playing fields continue the games.

jungle, thanks.

Its a big one again today, apparently biggest in 6 years. Nasty.

Is UPS operating normally on G212?

Thanks for any guidance, my company sure as S#$@ aint giving me any.

Except about wearing of hats.

You should be getting Space Weather forecast from your dispatch for any polar flights. But you can check it yourself here ...
Space Weather Now

Right now it's showing G1, S2, R2. Was S3 earlier.The scales run from NONE, to S1, to S2 etc up to 5.
Read about what they mean here
NOAA Space Weather Scales

On the polar flights I've done, usually the Space Weather forecast had NONE for each of G, S and R. Might have had an S1 or R1 a couple times

Yesterday I flew ATL to ICN. Usually that's a polar flight. But we couldn't go polar yesterday because of the Space Weather; had to stay lower latitudes, down over Alaska. What is usually a 13-14 hour trip took 15.5 hours.

I think G212 is over Alaska, right? If so that wouldn't be a polar flight anyway, so no restrictions, no worries :)

Penguin22 has it right, dispatch should give you all the info you need, you may note that only Polar flights are effected and this has more to do with communications requirements than human physiology.

For a good overview of space weather and its effect on various communications and vehicles read this:Space weather - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Speaking pf physiology. Is there any reputable information of the possible health effects of increased radiation?

Yes, there is a great deal of information, Polar flights result in a higher exposure and there are time standards and other limits on such flights which you should get if you happen to be doing them.

I am attempting to sift through the information. Although I do not fly around the poles, I am wondering about long term effects of flying during increased solar activity in the middle latitudes. With less atmosphere to protect us and the frequency we are in the flight levels is there a documented threat to our long term health as pilots?

None that I am aware of, please note that it is not the depth of atmosphere which protects you, it is primarily the Earth's magnetic field.

Thanks for the insight.