Eyjafjallajokull's volcanic ash plume - did you know...?

...that the Met Office is one of 9 Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres VAACs) around the world responsible for advising international aviation of the location and movement of clouds of volcanic ash? It's also one of only two World Area Forecast Centres ,or WAFCs, (the other is in Washington D.C.) which uses data to fulfil Annex 3 of the ICAO Convention on Civil Aviation forecasting upper level winds and temperatures to enable the most efficient use of aircraft fuel.

With Eyjafjallajokull still erupting and arguments over whether or to reopen the skies to flights, it's worth having a look at the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association's (IFALPA) scarey but informative video of what happens to a 'plane if volcanic ash enters the engine casings...