Ethiopia Volcanic Eruption Ash India: How dangerous is volcanic ash for airplanes, what can be the problems?

People often consider volcanic ash to be light or ordinary dust like smoke, but it is a mixture of very fine, sharp, sharp particles like minerals and glass. When a volcano erupts, these particles reach a height of 10 to 15 kilometers in the air, exactly where most aircraft fly.

This ash is so dangerous for airplanes that airlines around the world immediately cancel flights as soon as it spreads. The reason is clear. This ash causes damage to every part of the aircraft which cannot be ignored.

The most dangerous effect of volcanic ash is on engines. The ash particles enter the engine and melt due to its heat. After melting, they stick to the turbine blades and the air flow of the engine stops. In such a situation, the engine may stop suddenly and engine failure during flight is the most frightening situation for any aircraft.

The glassy ash particles hit the windows at high speed and wear them out. Within a few minutes, the cockpit window can become so foggy that nothing can be seen outside, neither the runway, nor the sky, nor the clouds.

The flight operates on accurate readings from sensors, but ash blocks these sensors. During this time, speed may appear wrong, altitude may be wrong, temperature sensor readings may get distorted.

The ash particles flying in the air hit the body like a sand storm. This causes damage to the outer surface, paint and metal of the plane. If ash enters the air conditioning system, passengers may smell smoke. This can create a situation of panic and stress.

Sometimes ash weakens radio waves, causing pilots to lose contact with air traffic control. As soon as the ash spreads, flights on that route are stopped. Ash clouds are monitored using weather and satellite data. That is why flights are diverted or canceled for the safety of passengers.