Volcanic Ash Exercises, VOLCEX24 - 19 November 2024

On November 19, 2024, the EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash exercises were held, simulating a volcanic eruption of the Santa Barbara volcano in the Azores, Portugal. The simulated volcanic ash cloud affected the eastern Atlantic, western and central Europe, and northern Africa.

Several civil aviation authorities, airlines, air navigation service providers, airports, MET Watch Offices, NOTAM Offices, Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAAC), EUROCONTROL, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) participated in the exercises.

Concentration charts with low, medium, and high ash concentration levels were provided (as per ICAO EUR Doc 019 - NAT Doc 006, Part II, and EASA SIB No. 2023-13 issued December 19, 2023) that allowed airlines to practice safety risk assessments and make decisions, bearing in mind the differences in European State practices in applying the safety risk assessment approach. The new Quantitative Volcanic Ash (QVA) information was made available to stakeholders for familiarization purposes but was not used operationally during the exercise.