Vulcanic ash encounter too sensitive?

[Jamie]

I just started a test flight from MPTO to SVCS and had severe engine failures on departure, cargo fire, pitot failures. Quickly removed the SIGMETs as per PSX QRH   Then it went away.

Now I copied the SIGMET data PSX loaded and it looks like these ash clouds are far away from where I am (Panama).

Maybe a little too aggressively?

Code Select Expand

WVHO31 MHTG 280850
MHTG SIGMET A2 VALID 280850/281450 MHTG-
MHCC CENTRAL AMERICAN FIR VA FUEGO PSN N1428 W09052
VA CLD OBS AT 0650Z SFC/FL170 N1441 W09050 - N1436 W09044
- N1429 W09052 - N1441 W09050 MOV NE 10KT FCST 1300Z VA CLD
SFC/FL170 N1440 W09046 - N1435 W09041 - N1429 W09052 - N1440 W09046=

WVHO31 MHTG 280950
MHTG SIGMET 2 VALID 280950/281550 MHTG-
MHCC CENTRAL AMERICAN FIR VA SANTA MARIA PSN N1445 W09133
VA CLD OBS AT 0900Z SFC/FL140 N1454 W09126 - N1449 W09122
- N1446 W09132 - N1454 W09126 MOV NE 5KT FCST 1500Z VA CLD
SFC/FL140 N1454 W09126 - N1447 W09122 - N1446 W09132 - N1454 W09126=

WVRA31 RUPK 281000
UHMM SIGMET P01 VALID 281005/281520 UHPP-
UHMM MAGADAN FIR VA ERUPTION MT SHEVELUCH PSN N5638 E16119 VA CLD OBS
AT 0920Z WI N5658 E16123 - N5650 E16140 - N5634 E16127 - N5642 E16115
- N5658 E16123 SFC/FL270 FCST AT 1520Z WI N5709 E16150 - N5548 E16411
- N5528 E16335 - N5654 E16007 - N5709 E16150=

WVEQ31 SEQU 281055
SEFG SIGMET A2 VALID 281055/281655 SEGU-
SEFG GUAYAQUIL FIR VA ERUPTION MT SANGAY PSN S0200 W07820
VA CLD OBS AT 1020Z WI S0200 W07820 - S0200 W07820 - S0208 W07820 -
S0204 W07826 - S0200 W07820 SFC/FL220 MOV SW 5KT
FCST AT 1630Z WI S0159 W07820 - S0201 W07819 - S0216 W07825 - S0211
W07833 - S0159 W07820=

WVCO31 SKBO 281050
SKED SIGMET 3 VALID 281100/281700 SKBO-
SKED BOGOTA FIR VA CLD MT VOLCAN PURACE PSN N0219 W07624 VA CLD OBS
AT 0350Z WI SFC/FL170 N0229 W07633 - N0220 W07623 - N0219 W07623 -
N0222 W07637 - N0229 W07633 FCST VA CLD +12HR: 28/2200Z SFC/FL170
N0224 W07633 - N0220 W07623 - N0219 W07623 - N0216 W07634 - N0224
W07633=

WVPR31 SPIM 280748
SPIM SIGMET 1 VALID 280755/281355 SPJC-
SPIM LIMA FIR VA ERUPTION MT SABANCAYA PSN S1547 W07150
VA CLD OBS AT 0730Z WI S1547 W07151 - S1556 W07122 -
S1609 W07132 - S1611 W07147 - S1547 W07151 SFC/FL260
FCST AT 1330Z VA CLD WI S1544 W07055 - S1607 W07056 -
S1621 W07110 - S1547 W07152 - S1544 W07055 SFC/FL260=

WVID21 WAAA 281120
WAAF SIGMET 13 VALID 281120/281720 WAAA-
WAAF UJUNG PANDANG FIR VA ERUPTION MT IBU PSN N0129 E12738
VA CLD OBS AT 1050Z WI N0131 E12736 - N0140 E12748 - N0134 E12755 -
N0127 E12752 - N0127 E12736 - N0131 E12736 SFC/FL070 MOV E 15KT NC=

WVID21 WAAA 280600
WAAF SIGMET 06 VALID 280600/281200 WAAA-
WAAF UJUNG PANDANG FIR VA ERUPTION MT SEMERU PSN S0806 E11255 VA CLD
OBS AT 0540Z WI S0803 E11258 - S0820 E11306 - S0827 E11258 -
S0822 E11247 - S0803 E11252 - S0803 E11258 SFC/FL150 MOV S 05KT NC=

WVEQ31 SEQU 280805
SEFG SIGMET 2 VALID 280805/281405 SEGU-
SEFG GUAYAQUIL FIR VA ERUPTION MT REVENTADOR PSN S0004 W07739
VA CLD OBS AT 0730Z WI S0000 W07747 - S0004 W07739 - S0002 W07748 -
S0000 W07747 SFC/FL140 MOV NW 15KT
FCST AT 1330Z WI N0002 W07745 - S0005 W07739 - S0001 W07747 - N0002
W07745=

WVID21 WAAA 280750
WAAF SIGMET 10 VALID 280750/281350 WAAA-
WAAF UJUNG PANDANG FIR VA ERUPTION MT DUKONO PSN N0142 E12754 VA CLD
OBS AT 0730Z WI N0144 E12750 - N0156 E12820 - N0151 E12834 -
N0140 E12825 - N0139 E12751 - N0144 E12750 SFC/FL080 MOV E 20KT NC=
If you draw these on a map:

[Hardy Heinlin]

You need to check the SIGMET map in PSX: Instructor > Situation > Position – and select the checkbox "MET".

If PSX draws an ASH SIGMET over Panama, there will be ash in Panama.

I just checked your data. PSX draws a big rectangle that includes Panama. This is so big because PSX has problems to parse that SIGMET text. These texts sometimes include typos or unusual formats that PSX cannot detect. Other specialized programs, however, may be able to parse them correctly.


|-|ardy

[Jamie]

You need to check the SIGMET map in PSX: Instructor > Situation > Position – and select the checkbox "MET".

If PSX draws an ASH SIGMET over Panama, there will be ash in Panama.

I just checked your data. PSX draws a big rectangle that includes Panama. This is so big because PSX has problems to parse that SIGMET text. These texts sometimes include typos or unusual formats that PSX cannot detect. Other specialized programs, however, may be able to parse them correctly.


|-|ardy

Thanks!

[United__744]

Volcanic ash is a huge problem! It gets ingested into the engine and instantly turns to glass. It is not some process that takes 3 hours - it is instant! The turbines can't handle this, and suffer within a few seconds.

People who do not fly IRL or otherwise lack an engineering background have no idea how fast these things happen. Sims get everything wrong because non-pilots/engineers think they know how they should behave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRM8KtuCrtQ

When the volcano in Iceland erupted a few years ago, there was a 2000 NM exclusion zone put in place because the ash cloud is so dangerous.