Aviation in and out of the Box With Geoff Jones, Independent Aerospace Consultant

Only a matter of time before a fatality due to volcanic ash

• VOLCANOES have been disrupting our air travel once more; this time in the southern hemisphere and the offender’s name is Puyehue-Cordon Caulle.

Between 10-20 aircraft are damaged extensively by ash every year and it will be only a matter of time before we have a fatality due to the volcanic ash.

Reputable regulatory authorities have put in place rules and guide lines that when followed should keep us safe, despite the fact that two Chief Executives of UK Airlines foolishly (in my view) each claim to have flown a test aircraft into the Ash from Grimsvotn.

These aircraft never flew in that cloud because those crews who have accidently been caught in one of these clouds and lived to tell the tale, talk about engines being choked until they stop, Saint Elmo’s Fire  dancing around the cockpit windows, cockpit front windows being totally sandblasted, acrid sulphur smell in the cabin and so on. I will expand on this later.

• Most people have noticed these long white puffy trails that appear in our clear blue skies; but what are they, how are they constructed and why?

There is a huge following on the internet that suggest they are dangerous chemicals that are sprayed onto us for various adverse reasons. I would like to discuss this whole subject in some detail in the near future. This subject is most definitely out of the box.

• In another recent article in the media it has been reported that the Air France Flt No. AF447 that crashed about 2 years ago whilst on route to Paris from Rio, has had it’s crash site found on the sea bed and the black boxes were found.

Black boxes??! I’m sure we all know by now that they are bright orange and are known as the Digital Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder.

The original Flight recorders were invented by Mr Penny and Mr Giles in England sometime in the 50s. At that time they recorded about 3 or 4 parameters but now with the latest digital recorders they can record or detect  over 2000 parameters.

Let’s discuss the future of flight recorders and  what has already been done to prevent a reoccurrence of this tragedy.

Photo credit: Aliens UFOS

About Geoff Jones:
Geoff has spent over 40 years working in the aviation industry. Trained by the Royal Air Force Engineering College at Halton and after working on military aircraft went on to work in the civil aviation industry, firstly as a founder employee of Monarch Airlines and then on to the Far East were he held various management positions with Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company. He then took up a position as Vice president Technical of Air Hong Kong and went on to become Deputy President of that airline. He holds various aircraft engineering licences and pilot’s licences. In the mid 90s he formed Apollo Aerospace Consultants.