How volcanic ash can bring down an airplane
When Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung erupted on Monday morning, the volcano spewed a roiling cloud of ash and gases more than 23,000 feet into the air. The eruption prompted a “red notice” for the aviation industry, alerting pilots to the ash cloud so they could steer clear of it. But could tiny particles of volcanic ash really bring down an airplane?
Absolutely. In fact, the mixture of crushed rocks, gases, and tiny shards of glass in a volcanic ash cloud can sandblast the plane’s exterior, melt onto the engine, and fry key navigational and communications systems. That’s why nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers around the world keep watch for volcanic eruptions like yesterday’s — one of Sinabung’s biggest since the volcano woke back up in...