
Why is volcanic ash a threat to planes? - soundsop
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63E46D20100415
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trafficlight
More info on planes that have flown through ash plumes:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9>

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Flight_867>

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natemartin
It's rather scary that engines can "start to thicken with larva"

Beware the volcano-born engine larva.

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juhygtfdfgbh
volcano larva are quite cute (like human and dog larva) it's only when they
become adolescent volcanoes they become dangerous.

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jrockway
The Air Crash Investigation episode about this is worth watching:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrNuY2qXWhI>

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dean
Since the airflow through the engines is blocked or restricted causing the
engines to flame out, it seems amazing that the engines could be restarted at
all in those two previous incidents. They really were "miraculous escapes".

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tjic
I enjoyed reading the phrase "bunged up" in the mainstream press! ;-)

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andyking
On a vaguely related note, it's very peaceful with no planes flying over. You
don't realise just how constant that hiss of people jetting about over your
head is until it's gone.

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ars
Why did they say larva every time they meant lava?

Do they think volcanoes make little babies that might grow inside an airplane?

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chronomex
That's how it's pronounced in Britain.

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kolektiv
Yeah, and we recently switched to pure phonetic spelling as well. Sorry, I
meen fonetik. Dam.

