Bad conditions today

17.4.2010
3903 Radio Boomerang 17.49-18.16* 45433 D, E
3931,6 Radio Bogusman 18.27- 25332 E
4025 LHH 19.50- 25332 E
6215,4 King SW (tent.) 09.15- 15431 only visible
6220 Mystery Radio 19.37- 44433 mx, jingle
6292,1 Radio Scotland Int. 14.32-14.53* 35333 E
6299,5 Radio Underground (tent.) 19.25- 25322 E
6302 Radio Altrex (tent.) 07.45- 15421 only visible
6304,7 Radio Black Arrow 18.20- 23332 E
6305 Radio Altrex (tent.) 14.54- 15331 mx
6324,5 unid 18.29 24332 mx, bad audio
6960 Radio Jan Van Gent (tent.) 09.28- 15431 only visible
6960 Radio Jan Van Gent (tent.) 20.05- 25332 mx
7610 Radio Amica (tent.) 09.30- 15331 only visible

Bad conditions today during daylight hours but I don't know if reason is that ash cloud?

Finnish F-18 Hornet fighters in ash cloud
Even a short period flight in volcanic ash may cause significant
damage to the engine.
photos of the damages in F-18 engine:
http://www.ilmavoimat.fi/index.php?id=1149

from page:http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/412103-ash-clouds-threaten-air-traffic-23.html
16.04.2010 13:03
Ash particles a significant threat to aviation safety in Finnish Airspace.

The Air Force has investigated during thursday and friday the Lappland Wing F-18 Hornet fighters which were excuting training flights during thursday morning in Northern-Finnish airspace.
At that time the air space was still in general use.

After the planes landed they were inspected, and the engine intakes were found to be covered with "potato-flour" - like volcanic ash dust. One engine of one of the Hornets has been inspected with fiberoscope (boroscope?). Based on the pictures
it was established that even a short period flight in volcanic ash may cause significant
damage to the engine.

The photos indicate that the ingested ash had melted in the heat of the combustion chamber at the temperature of around 1000 degrees C. The effect of melting ash blocking cooling channels in the engine will lead to overheating of engine parts and
deterioration of material strength, and in the worst case, disintegration of components and destruction of the engine.

The Hornets subjected to volcanic ash will be checked substantially. At least some of the engines must be taken out and subjected to further investigation at Patria engine maintenance facility. Those engines which demonstrate signs of ash ingestion effects will be dismantled to determine the full effect of damages. At the same time the ash effects to the engine cooling passages will be determined.

The operative flights will be carried out routinely (ie. identification flights etc.)

Despite the ashcloud the Finnish Air Force continues to keep one Hawk jet-trainer with air-sampling equipment in full preparedness. The plane will fly when the appropriate civilian authorities determine that the flight is necessary.

Based on the information gathered by the aircraft the amount of ash in the atmosphere can be inferred. The results are forwarded to the civilian officials, who
determine the availability to the Finnish air space through different other sources.

The sampling plane will fly at varying altudes and collect particle samples in the container. After landing tha samples will be forwarded to the Defence Forces Technical Reseach Center at Lakiala. The results will be available in about two hours, after which they will be made available to Finavia. If necessary, the aircrew will report visual observations in real time. The atmospheric sampling aircraft is operated by the staffa at Kauhala air base.