Airborne Volcanic Ash: Concept of in-flight avoidance

Abstract

After major adverse impact that volcano eruption had on aviation in April 2010, when the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in Iceland, there is a high need for all airspace users to gather up and contribute to new solutions of problem solving. Based on the lessons learned from that event, any airspace user, no matter what kind of operations it provides, is in need first for concrete regulations on which level of ash concentration is hazardous for the aircraft, second more precise prediction of ash-cloud movements and third for opportunity to be a part of the decision making process concerning question whether to fly or not in this specific situation and if yes through zones of which volcanic ash concentration and following which procedures. In that respect DLR’s Institute of Flight Guidance started the research process in the direction of airspace reconstruction, flight strategies development and decision making process weather to fly or not in the disruptive event. This paper, therefore, presents: - firstly, short description of the ATM concept that could be a solid base in order to ensure flow of valid information and possibilities to transfer decision making role from states and ANSPs to airliners and definitely to pilots, - secondly, specific developed fly strategies when airborne volcanic ash is present in part of the airspace while trying to maintain capacity level on the highest possible level and - lastly, development of different criteria for traffic flow management in order to optimize usage of available non-contaminated part of the airspace. All presented results are from the first stage of research process, thus in the end, discussion on advantages of using this approach and criteria as well as problems that have appeared during the first stage of the development process will be presented. Concerning results from this stage, planes for further steps in research process will be presented, too.