The International Volcanic Ash Task Force (IVATF), established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in response to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in April 2010, has delivered a series of practical tools and recommendations to help decrease the impact of future volcanic events on international aviation operations.
The new measures include a new publication of specialised ash-related flight operations guidance, a template for Air Traffic Management Volcanic Ash Contingency Plans and recommendations regarding new technologies and system requirements pertinent to ground-based, airborne and satellite-based volcanic ash detection systems.
"Challenges such as Eyjafjallajökull represent important opportunities for the global aviation community to advance its collaborative scientific understanding and co-ordinated operational responses to volcanic eruptions, wherever and whenever in the world they occur," stresses ICAO sg, Raymond Benjamin.
Iceland's 2010 eruption led to the worst disruption to air transport operations since World War II, showing just how vulnerable modern aviation is to natural hazards.
"If a major volcanic eruption were to occur today, civil aviation would find itself in a much better position than in April 2010," said IVATF programme co-ordinator, Peter Lechner. "Many challenges remain, however, and we will continue to address them within the International Airways Volcano Watch Operations Group, other ICAO expert groups, or through pertinent partnering organisations."
New tools to reduce impact of volcanic ash events
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