I wondered if this flight ban was a bit of overkill (sorry!). What happens in the desert when they have sandstorms etc? I would have thought that aircraft engines would be designed to cope with particulates. One problem stated that the particles could melt due to the heat at the rear of the engine and block cooling ducts. You would have thought that this problem could be designed out.
I noticed that the Green Party shot themselves in the foot last week. They calculated the anount of CO2 that has been saved due to the planes being grounded. It was pointed out to them that the volcano had just spewed out millions of tonnes of CO2.
