Philip Sondericker wrote in message ...
in article fT27d.3595$mS1.2578@fed1read05, BTIZ at
wrote on 9/30/04 7:00 PM:

that would be one heck of a thermal ride... if it weren't for the rocks...
and "cough cough" the ash..

BT

I was thinking about this recently, and I was trying to determine exactly
what the effects would be on a small plane flying into an ash cloud. How
long would it take for the air filter to become completely clogged? And at
that point, assuming the plane had a carburetor, what would be the effect on
the engine? Would the plugs become fouled? Would they fire at all?

I'm a new pilot and relatively ignorant of engine operations, so I'm curious
to hear the answers.

The engine is about the last part I would worry about when flying
through a vulcanic ash cloud.
Probably you get burned to death or at least get a bit charred,
together with your plane.

To answer your quistion about the engine.
It will end up ruined, either by crashing or by inhaling to much dust
and then crashing. Or maybe you are lucky and you end up with a nice
sandblasted aircraft.

Some jets have flown through such clouds(they fly much higher, the
cloud is cooler that high), they needed a repaint and have their
engines replaced.


-Kees