IN 2000, US AIRWAYS INITIATED

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2000
IN 2000, US AIRWAYS INITIATED SCHEDULED AIR
TRANSPORTATION SERVICE TO SELECTED
DESTINATIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN
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USAIRWAYS CARIBBEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TURKS AND CAICOS
ISLANDS PUERTO RICO ST.THOMAS / ST. CROIX ST.
MAARTEN ANTIGUA ST.KITTS ST. LUCIA GRENADA BARBADO
S ARUBA COSTA RICA BELIZE MEXICO
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INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES
AVIATION INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
US AIRWAYS DISPATCH
PILOT REPORTS
NOTICES TO AIRMEN
SATELLITE PICTURES
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MARCH 17, 2003
MARCH 17, 2003
SAN JUAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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VOLCANIC ASH
_at_ 1500 Z
PILOT REPORT FORWARDED TO
SAN JUAN CENTER REPORTING ATMOSPHERIC VOLCANIC
ASH DUE TO MONTSERRAT EXPLOSION
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ST.THOMAS
US AIRWAYS DISPATCH CENTER INSTRUCTED INBOUND
FLIGHTS TO DEVIATE TO ST. THOMAS AND ST.
CROIX AWAY FROM FORECASTED ASH CLOUDS SELECTED
FLIGHTS WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO POINT OF
DEPARTURE
US AIRWAYS DISPATCHER PETE DEMPSTER COORDINATED
AN ALERT TO ALL PILOTS OPERATING IN
THE CARIBBEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
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PILOT/DISPATCHER
PILOT/DISPATCHER INTERACTION
PILOT AND DISPATCHER SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
SAFETY AND OPERATION OF ANY ASSIGNED
FLIGHT PILOT AND DISPATCHER MUST WORK
TOGETHER, SHARING INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO
MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL INTEGRITY
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BRITISH AIRWAYS
APRIL 2003
VISIT TO BRITISH AIRWAYS COMPASS CENTER
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COMPARATIVE OPERATING PROCEDURES

• US AIRWAYS NORTH ATLANTIC
• BRITISH AIRWAYS MEDITERRANEAN
• SAS CARIBBEAN
• VOLCANIC ASH ENCOUNTER PROCEDURES

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BRITISH AIRWAYS
BRITISH AIRWAYS

• AUTOTHROTTLE-----DISCONNECT
• THRUST LEVERS----CLOSE

• OXYGEN MASKS

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US AIRWAYS
US AIRWAYS

• AIRSPEED INDICATIONS

• AIR CONDITIONING PACKS

• AUXILIARY POWER UNIT

• ENGINE/WING ANTI-ICE

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SAS
SAS

• ASH PARTICLES HAVE LOW WATER CONTENT

• SMOKE DETECTORS MAY BE ACTIVATED

• LOOK FOR BROWN SMOKE OR ODOR OF SULFUR

• TURN 180 DEGREES

• EXIT ASH CLOUD

• USE FMS GROUND SPEED IF NECESSARY

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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION CONCERNS
SILICA RICH ASH CONTAINS DISSOLVED AND ABSORBED
S, CL and H2O (SULFUR, CHLORINE AND WATER)
THERE WOULD BE A VERY MINOR TENDENCY FOR THESE
MATERIALS TO FOSTER OXIDATION OF AI METALS
DOCTOR MALCOLM RUTHERFORD BROWN UNIVERSITY
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ECONOMIC CONCERNS
ECONOMIC CONCERNS

• LOSS OF BUSINESS REVENUE

• AIRCRAFT /ENGINE DAMAGE

• FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE (FOD)

• LOSS OF GOODS AND SERVICES

• LOSS OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

• LOSS OF PROPERTY

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THE THREE Cs
THE THREE CS
COMMUNICATIONS
COMPARATIVE OPERATING PROCEDURES
CONTINUING EDUCATION
AFTER 07/12/2003)
BEFORE 07/12/2003
MONTSERRAT VOLCANIC OBSERVATORY
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ARENAL
ARENAL, COSTA RICA
CAPTAIN AND DISPATCHER MUST HAVE

• Higher Situational Awareness

• Enhanced Preflight Briefing

• Informational Resources

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POPO
POPOCATEPETL
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

• PREFLIGHT REVIEW OF VOLCANIC ASH ENCOUNTER
  PROCEDURES

• DEFINITIVE CONTINGENCY PLAN

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THANK YOU
THANK YOU

• CAPTAIN JON ROUND, BRITISH AIRWAYS

• MR. NIGEL GAIT, INTERNATIONAL AVIATION MANAGER

MET OFFICE, UNITED KINGDOM

• CAPTAIN ED MILLER, AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION

• MR. SAMUEL P. WILLIAMSON, FEDERAL COORDINATOR
• 
  FOR METEOROLOGY
  METEOROLOGY

• MARY M CAIRNS, M.S.,SENIOR STAFF PHYSICAL
  SCIENTIST

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QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS?