Volcanic Ash Advisory Center
Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAAC) are nine warning centers commissioned by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as part of the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW). These are operated by meteorological organizations designated by the ICAO . They were set up from 1993 to observe the occurrence of volcanic ash in the air and to warn air traffic of dangerous ash clouds. Among other things, volcanic ash can cause jet engine failure and thus seriously endanger aircraft.
Locations
The areas of responsibility of the individual VAACs cover most of the world, with the exception of part of northern Russia and the Arctic, part of the southern Pacific Ocean and Antarctica. The boundaries of the respective areas of responsibility are determined by coordinates or coincide with the corresponding flight information area (FIR).
Surname | Area of responsibility | operator |
---|---|---|
Anchorage | FIR: Anchorage Oceanic; Anchorage Continental; Anchorage Arctic
and west of it to 150 ° East, but north of 60 ° North |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Buenos Aires | south of 10 ° south between 10 ° west and 90 ° west | Servicio Meteorológico Nacional |
Darwin | south of 10 ° south between 100 ° east and 160 ° east, additionally the Perth FIR between 100 ° east and 75 ° east, the Colombo FIR and the parts of the FIRs Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Chennai, Rangoon and Kolkata that are not part of the Areas of responsibility of Tokyo and Toulouse respectively. | Bureau of Meteorology |
London | FIR: Bodø Oceanic, Reykjavík, Shanwick Oceanic, London, Scottish, Shannon | Met Office |
Montreal | FIR: Gander Oceanic, Canada including the Arctic Ocean , Reykjavík Søndre Strømfjord | Meteorological Service of Canada |
Tokyo | 60 ° north to 10 ° north between 90 ° east and the boundaries of the FIRs Oakland Oceanic, Anchorage Oceanic and Anchorage Continental | Japan Meteorological Agency |
Toulouse | Santa Maria Oceanic, the regions AFI to 60 ° South, EUR west of 90 ° East (with the exception of the FIRs London, Scottish and Shannon FIRs) and MID south of 71 ° North but west of 90 ° East | Météo-France |
Washington | New York Oceanic, Oakland Oceanic, and the United States continental FIRs north of 10 ° south and east of 140 ° west | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Wellington | south of the equator between 160 ° east and 140 ° west | Meteorological Service of New Zealand |
Incidents with volcanic ash
- June 24, 1982: British Airways flight 9
- December 15, 1989: KLM Flight 867
- April 15, 2010: After the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, its ash clouds drifted directly towards Central Europe, whereupon the aviation authorities decided to close a large part of European airspace for several days.
supporting documents
- ↑ International Airways Volcano Watch Program ( English ) International Civila Aviation Organization. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
Web links
- VAAC Anchorage (NOAA) homepage
- Homepage of the VAAC Buenos Aires (Servicio Meteorológico Nacional)
- VAAC Darwin (Bureau of Meteorology) homepage
- VAAC London homepage (MetOffice)
- VAAC Montreal (Meteorological Services of Canada) homepage
- VAAC Tokyo (Japan Meteorological Agency) homepage
- Homepage of the VAAC Toulouse (Météo-France)
- VAAC Washington (NOAA) homepage
- VAAC Wellington (Meteorological Service of New Zealand) homepage