Images compiled from amateur aircraft-tracking stations illustrate the gradual clearing of traffic in UK airspace following the spread of a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland.
The aircraft-tracking data has been compiled from automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) transmissions, and similar sources, which can be detected and interpreted with inexpensive equipment and plotted on dedicated Internet sites.
Data from around 06:30 today shows a virtual absence of aircraft in the northern UK as a result of restrictions on air traffic.
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Click here to view the animation
UK air navigation service NATS has closed the country's airspace until at least 06:00 on 16 April in order to avoid risk to high-altitude flights.
"The cloud of volcanic ash is now spread across the UK and continuing to travel south," it states.
Nordic and Irish airspace has also been heavily affected by the ash cloud.
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Image compilation: Flightradar24 and Planeplotter (credit: John Locker) |
Related Links
- All the latest news, images and information on the ash cloud causing major disruptions to Europe's air space
- Latest on AirSpace
- Volcanic centre data illustrates rarity of UK ash disruption.
- In Pictures: Volcanic ash closing down UK airspace.
- Learmount: Volcanic ash: the day we learned what it can do.
- Archive: The story of British Airways Flight 9 'I don't believe it - all four have failed".
- Airline Business blog: Icelandic volcano causes chaos over British skies
- What about an early warning system for volcanic ash?
- How about a satellite-based warning system?
Source: Flight International
