What if Mt. St. Helens makes a mess?
Sep 30, 2004, 2:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SEA
Posts: 162
What if Mt. St. Helens makes a mess?
I understand if Mt. St. Helens were to erupt that there wouldn't be much damage over all, but from my understanding, there would be a significant problems related to air traffic. Being that PDX is ~110 miles south from the national park, and SEA is ~145 miles north, depending on the wind, it could go towards either airport.
Does anybody remember what happened back in 1980 to air traffic? I sure don't, I was less than a month old (I was born on Leap Day).
-Colby
Does anybody remember what happened back in 1980 to air traffic? I sure don't, I was less than a month old (I was born on Leap Day).
-Colby
Sep 30, 2004, 4:36 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
Taller half commutes by train weekly to Corvallis, I am hoping St. Helens blows ash to the East.(sorry Columbia basin folks)
Amtrak schedules are flakey enough without natural disasters.
lala
Amtrak schedules are flakey enough without natural disasters.
lala
Sep 30, 2004, 5:31 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, Wa
Programs: AS 75K & BR Member- HHonors Diamond - Hertz PC - Marriott Titanium - IHG Ambassador
Posts: 2,379
Originally Posted by Punki
The wind was from the west at the time, so all of the ash blew into Eastern Washington and then, literally, around the world. We had no ash at all here in Seattle.
That isnt true. My father Was a Port Of Seattle Policeman, and he brought home several "evidence" bag's (quartsize ziplocs) of the ash that was swept from the Runway at Sea-Tac.
We still have it.
My 2 cents
Chris
Sep 30, 2004, 5:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Portland, Or USA
Posts: 1,800
Originally Posted by Junkie
That isnt true. My father Was a Port Of Seattle Policeman, and he brought home several "evidence" bag's (quartsize ziplocs) of the ash that was swept from the Runway at Sea-Tac.
We still have it.
My 2 cents
Chris
We still have it.
My 2 cents
Chris
Unfortunately, I don't recall what it did to airtravel. Someone out there's gotta remember!
Sep 30, 2004, 6:21 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: An Island Paradise Near Seattle
Posts: 599
There were aircraft in the air at the time of the eruption, and many were revectored, but I don't believe there were immediate diversions. My dad was in one of the company planes later that afternoon and has some spectacular photos.
The aftermath in PDX was pretty potent. There was at least a week of delays/cancellations, to my (admittedly failing) memory. Amtrak service was signifiicantly disrupted on the Coast Starlight and Pioneer runs.
Oddly, ash ingestion isn't a huge problem for modern high-bypass engines. There is a well-documented case of a 747 losing engines to volcanic ash in the Pinatubo eruption, and being able to restart all of them before gravity won out.
Eric
The aftermath in PDX was pretty potent. There was at least a week of delays/cancellations, to my (admittedly failing) memory. Amtrak service was signifiicantly disrupted on the Coast Starlight and Pioneer runs.
Oddly, ash ingestion isn't a huge problem for modern high-bypass engines. There is a well-documented case of a 747 losing engines to volcanic ash in the Pinatubo eruption, and being able to restart all of them before gravity won out.
Eric
Sep 30, 2004, 6:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Alaska
Posts: 81
When Mt Spurr west of Anchorage blew ( believe it was '89) it disrupted ANC operations for days. A European 747...can't remember which airline... on its way to Asia flew through some of the dust and all 4 of its engines stopped. Bet it was really quiet on that glider until the pilot was able to restart the engines.
Sep 30, 2004, 7:44 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,617
Originally Posted by REC1111
When Mt Spurr west of Anchorage blew ( believe it was '89) it disrupted ANC operations for days. A European 747...can't remember which airline... on its way to Asia flew through some of the dust and all 4 of its engines stopped. Bet it was really quiet on that glider until the pilot was able to restart the engines.
Sep 30, 2004, 7:47 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,617
Originally Posted by NNH
It was a BA flight.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?...90FA020&rpt=fi
Sep 30, 2004, 8:50 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: UA 1k, AA Plt, MR Lifetime Plat & Amb
Posts: 1,829
On one of the smaller later eruptions (of St. Helens) we had a light dusting of ash in Federal Way. It was enough that as cars drove they would kick it up. Nothing much really, but it was exciting at the time.
Oct 1, 2004, 1:35 pm
#13
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
flight interruptions....
flights scheduled to land in Portland are currently being diverted to Seattle, and all flights on the ground in Portland are departing
Oct 1, 2004, 2:19 pm
#15
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
update
apparently its only AS flights evacuating PDX ..QX is operating as scheduled.
(don't ask..I have no idea)
(don't ask..I have no idea)