Thanks to this man, ash clouds will disrupt fewer flights
A Rolls-Royce engineer whose ground-breaking work has minimised the disruption caused to airline passengers by future volcanic eruptions has received the first CAA safety award.
Rory Clarkson has been researching and developing the effects of volcanic ash on aircraft engines since the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, which led to thousands of flight cancellations.
One of the main reason aircraft were grounded was the lack of data on the level of volcanic ash that modern jet engines could safely fly in.
Over the past seven years, Clarkson has developed a new set of higher data for Rolls-Royce engines that will influence how the world deals with such eruptions.
For the first time, the industry now has a set of data and a model to use during any ash event. "This will ensure aircraft engines don’t become damaged by volcanic ash, while at the same time allowing airlines to fly as much as possible, safely reducing the disruption to passengers," said the CAA.
UK CAA chair Dame Deirdre Hutton said: "We are delighted to name Rory as the recipient of our Flight Safety Award 2018. He has made a major contribution to the industry’s understanding of the volcanic ash risk, which will greatly enhance our collective ability to deal with any future ash cloud event.
"This is exactly the kind of thing we feel should be celebrated and encouraged and we look forward to recognising similar contributions in the years to come."
The inaugural award was presented at a ceremony on February at the Houses of Parliament, attended by aviation industry leaders and politicians.
Prince Michael of Kent, alongside aviation minister Baroness Sugg made the presentation to Clarkson.
Baroness Sugg said: "I am delighted to present Rory with the inaugural Civil Aviation Authority Flight Safety Award.
"We all remember the disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud and Rory’s work on the potential impact of volcanic ash on jet engines is an outstanding contribution to aviation safety, demonstrating the kind of innovative work that is vital to this field."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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