Volcanoes + Europe = Good Times for GA!

If you ask a major news source, like the BBC, you'll get the picture that the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano and subsequent ban of airline flights over Europe has been devastating to all of European aviation. Though the effects to the airlines are certainly tragic and threatening, it is not accurate to say that the volcanic ash cloud prevented all flying. With the decrease in European airline traffic, GA has been thriving.

Max Trescott wrote about doing low approaches at Dublin International Airport a few days ago. This is a rare treat that he would never have been able to do if there hadn't been a moratorium on all IFR flying. He wasn't the only one with the idea either. Trescott wrote that at the altitudes the GA aircraft were flying, there was no volcanic ash to worry about. Although it can go lower, usually the ash is encountered at high altitudes well above those used by GA. Having free reign to buzz some big airports sounds like fun to me!

BBC quoted some major European airline execs who didn't like the flight restrictions and didn't want to have to pay for the passengers affected by this disaster. While I agree that an airline's liability should be limited to the first night or so with an act of God like this, I don't know how wise people are to question the ban on flying. I was especially surprised that Sir Richard Branson was the main person quoted as criticizing the ban. BBC reported that he wanted airlines to be able to send up aircraft and test out conditions. In general, I'm one of Sir Richard's biggest fans; however, he needs to study some European airline history before he decides his ideas really have merit.

He should read about British Airways Flight 9, a 747 that flew through a cloud of volcanic ash over Indonesia and lost all four engines. This wasn't the only case of a large jet losing all engines flying through ash, but it's very well known. A cloud of rocks doesn't seem like the kind of thing I'd want to run through a multi-million dollar turbofan engine, but maybe Branson has more confidence in his hardware than I do.

That being said, it's possible to operate turbofan aircraft in this area as long as they're flexible on destination or potentially flexible enough with their operations to fly VFR. Max Trescott noticed this during his flight. He heard a Cessna Citation make a trip to Spain and back...by flying VFR.

The New York Times has a recent article about trends in business aviation. They note that the ash cloud has helped people realize how important it can be to have the flexibility of a business aircraft when the airlines completely shut down. A business jet can get into small fields that an airliner couldn't possibly touch. A business jet also has the option of flying VFR if needed. It would burn a lot more fuel, but a business jet could depart a field VFR, stay low until clear of a restricted zone like this ash cloud and then climb up and pick up an IFR clearance once in open airspace. I'm sure there are a lot of people stranded in Europe who would feel that their time was more than worth the extra cost.

So here we have two great examples of how GA can offer significant benefits over the airlines in some cases. Hopefully lawmakers around the world realize this when they think about supporting GA and small airports. For the sake of jet makers, I hope Europe's ash cloud woes remind business people that business aviation can have some huge advantages. If they realize that fact, then business jet sales will pick up and those aircraft makers will be able to rest a little easier.