The skies of Europe are quiet

[Brix]

I am not sure what you mean by two figures of speech.

Also, it is not just loss of thrust that is an issue (although I agree can be a big one). The ash can accelerate wear/damage on the engine causing it to fail sooner than expected (i.e. before a regular maintenance interval), or so I have read.

As well there are numerous other concerns about the ash as written about last week by AviationDaily:

The numbers you put up earlier is just figure of speech, not real statistics, therefore they can not be put up in a way as you do.

[Commodore GS/E]

Another update, guys. All german airports are now open, even the night flight restrictions have gone. But i don't expect this to hold on that long as the next ash cloud is already coming. So if you need to fly somewhere, do it NOW.

[Matra et Alpine]

^^^ UNLESS you're hoping to be able to fly BACK from that "somewhere"

Spectacular footage from above the volcanic crater on MSN Video

See lightning and also the rock ejections from the ash cloud - spectacular.

I loved the "the pilot is confident" while the reporter is clearly bricking it

Radar track added ... Getting busier

[NSXType-R]

^^^ UNLESS you're hoping to be able to fly BACK from that "somewhere"

Spectacular footage from above the volcanic crater on MSN Video

See lightning and also the rock ejections from the ash cloud - spectacular.

I loved the "the pilot is confident" while the reporter is clearly bricking it

Radar track added ... Getting busier

Isn't the helicopter turbine powered?

How's it still flying? Or was this the beginning of the eruptions?

[Matra et Alpine]

The reporter was confirming with the pilot that as they were staying NORTH of the volcano then the wind was keeping them "safe". Ironically Iceland's airport has stayed open as it's North of the volcano

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Well my sister made it to her destination - only took her 4 days longer than she thought

Problem is now the Groom's Family is still stuck in Australia waiting to take off - QANTAS is still not flying to europe to ease the backlog they have for existing customers....

[Matra et Alpine]

Mate stuck in Malta till 4th MAY

[Brix]

The reporter was confirming with the pilot that as they were staying NORTH of the volcano then the wind was keeping them "safe". Ironically Iceland's airport has stayed open as it's North of the volcano

It's "annoying" that so little of Island is effected by this eruption, and Europe just get all the shit! (meant sarcastic)

[Matra et Alpine]

As has been suggested , they're getting their own back on the British and Dutch for trying to get the money back from failed banks.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

There was a beautiful quote I nicked from somewhere;

"It was the last wish of the Icelandic economy that its ashes be spread over Europe"

[Tati25]

^^^ UNLESS you're hoping to be able to fly BACK from that "somewhere"

Spectacular footage from above the volcanic crater on MSN Video

See lightning and also the rock ejections from the ash cloud - spectacular.

I loved the "the pilot is confident" while the reporter is clearly bricking it

Radar track added ... Getting busier

Wow.. amazing stuff

Most people got/will go home by airplane today. Poor people that rented cars yesterday for thousands of km trips.

[Alastor]

The numbers you put up earlier is just figure of speech, not real statistics, therefore they can not be put up in a way as you do.

Yes...they were just figure of speech to make a point, I don't see a problem with that. Feel free to substitute the numbers with real statistics, I don't have that information, the point I was trying to make is the same.

[Brix]

Yes...they were just figure of speech to make a point, I don't see a problem with that. Feel free to substitute the numbers with real statistics, I don't have that information, the point I was trying to make is the same.

Real numbers or not, it's the fact you put two figures of speech up against each other, which is wrong.
Just because volcanic ash makes it 1000 times more dangerous doesn't mean that it's "only" 1 out of 1000 of crashing! (using our "maths"), it's more likely that a plane flying thru the ash has a 1/1000 chance of NOT crashing!

[csl177]

There was a beautiful quote I nicked from somewhere;

"It was the last wish of the Icelandic economy that its ashes be spread over Europe"

Dear United Kingdom and European Union:

In response to your recent demands that we send cash immediately, please note the Icelandic Alphabet does not contain the letter "C". We have complied with your request as best as our language allows. It was not easy, but we have done all we can to conjure up a volcano at will to spew tons of ash. Please consider our debt paid in full.

Respectfully yours,
Iceland

[Matra et Alpine]

I like the one going around here that the UK were fed up and intended to send a note demanding immediate CASH , but a typo occurred in the e-mail.