Welcome andAdministrative Remarks

Mr. Samuel P. WilliamsonFederal Coordinator for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Welcome andAdministrative Remarks

The 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety sponsors: Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (OFCM) United States Geological Survey (USGS) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Smithsonian Institution (SI) Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Meteorological Service of Canada/Environment Canada (MSC/EC) International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the

Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) Tenix Corporation World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Welcome andAdministrative Remarks

Thanks to everyone who helped make sure The 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety will be a success Special thanks to the National Aviation Weather

Program Council Thanks to the members of the Office of the Federal

Coordinator for Meteorology staff, Science and Technology Corporation, sponsoring agencies, exhibitors, the Interagency Working Group for Volcanic Ash, key speakers, chairpersons, panelists, moderators, and presenters

A special “Thank You” to you, the participants of the conference, who are instrumental in making this conference a success

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Welcome andAdministrative Remarks

Ms. Erin McNamara--Conference Coordinator for Logistics

Ms. Mary Cairns--Conference Coordinator for Agenda Ms. Dawn Erlich--Registration Assistance Mr. Kent P. LaBorde and Mr. Greg Romano (NOAA Public

Affairs)--Arranging for Media Events Lt. Col. Frank Estis--Protocol and Coordinator for Media

Events Mr. Ken Barnett--Audio/Visual Assistance (Note: If you

have not already done so, please turn in any slides you plan to present to Ken as soon as possible.)

Mayor William D. Euille

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Special Welcome

The Honorable Ted Stevens,

United States Senator from Alaska (Invited)

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Special Welcome The Honorable Ted Stevens, United States Senator from Alaska

(Invited) Dr. James R. Mahoney, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for

Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Deputy Administrator Dr. Charles G. Groat, Director, U.S. Geological Survey RADM. James P. Schear, Vice President for Safety, Federal

Aviation Administration Mr. Ronald J. Birk, Director of the Earth Science Applications

Division, Office of Earth Science, NASA Mr. Gianni Semenzato, Senior Flight Inspector, Ente Nazional per

L’Aviazione Civile (Italian Civil Aviation Authority) Mr. William Voss, Director, Air Navigation Bureau, International

Civil Aviation Organization Mr. Saad Benarafa, World Meteorological Organization

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts” Background

Why hold a Second International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety?

What should we expect to accomplish at this conference?

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Background

Airborne volcanic ash poses a serious threat to aviation

More than 100 aircraft have encountered volcanic ash clouds in flight Several resulted in multiple engine failures Disastrous crashes have been only narrowly averted

Safest mitigation strategy--aircraft avoid flying into an ash plume

Avoidance requires knowing where an ash plume exists

Dispatchers, pilots, and air traffic controllers must be quickly informed of volcanic activity

On average, about 15 major explosive eruptions occur per year

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Background

1991 symposium on volcanic ash and aviation safety brought stakeholders together for the first time

Since then, nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers have been established

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Background

Methods for observing and analyzing the indicators of an impending eruption have been improved

New satellite-based remote sensing techniques are being used or developed

Volcanic ash detection and forecast is very important to the international aviation community The International Civil Aviation Organization established the

International Airways Volcano Watch Operations Group in 2002 The ICAO deems this as a very significant problem Eight contracting States dedicated resources to support this effort You will hear more about this in Session 4 Additionally, a closing address will be provided by the ICAO’s Mr.

William Voss on ICAO's commitment to mitigating this hazard

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Why a Second Conference?

Because volcanic ash is truly an international problem A volcanic “ring of fire” circles the Pacific basin from

South and Central America through the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and around to Kamchatka, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Micronesia

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Why a Second Conference?

About 100 potentially dangerous volcanoes lie under air routes in the North Pacific region alone

There are other regions of volcanic activity Ash carried downwind can endanger aircraft The ICAO began provisions in 1987 for volcanic ash

warnings to be included in aviation SIGMETs In 1998, ICAO established the International Airways

Volcano Watch, which consists of nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) Each VAAC uses reports from volcano observatories and

satellite imagery to track volcanic activity and ash clouds in its designated region.

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Conference Expectations?

Improve the international system for volcanic ash risk mitigation

Ensure we can provide accurate, timely reporting of an eruption to mitigate the risk to aviation

Leverage and improve the use of capabilities such as satellites to detect and track ash clouds

Improve the operational experience of the aviation community with the still-evolving system for detecting and communicating volcanic ash hazards

International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety OFCM

Conference “Thoughts”:Conference Expectations?

Let’s dedicate ourselves to: One…identifying any new operational requirements

(observation, forecasting, reporting, etc.) and the needed research and development needed to satisfy those requirements.

Two…where possible, match those operational and research and development requirements to ongoing programs/projects to maximize our partnership efforts.

Three…develop a roadmap for improved volcanic ash-related education, training, and outreach.

And four…develop a framework for improved partnerships within the international volcanic ash community in an effort to leverage resources and capabilities across the spectrum of operations and research and development issues.

Dr. James R. Mahoney,Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and

NOAA Deputy Administrator

Dr. Charles G. Groat,Director, U.S. Geological

Survey

Rear Admiral James P. Schear,

U.S. Naval Reserve (Retired) Vice President for Safety

Federal Aviation Administration

Mr. Ronald J. Birk, Director of the Earth Science

Applications Division, Office of Earth Science,

NASA

Mr. Gianni Semenzato, Senior Flight Inspector,

Ente Nazional per L’Aviazione Civile (Italian Civil Aviation

Authority)

Luncheon WithCaptain Eric Moody

British Airways (Ret.)(Sponsored by Air Line Pilots Association)