http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2942884/UK-flight-is-aborted-after-pilot-smells-volcanic-ash.html
geluidsclip:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/video/article300101.ece?vxSiteId=0bc72527-aa8e-4487-a5e8-94aae448c9dd&vxChannel=Sun%20Exclusive&vxClipId=1347_SUN44125&vxBitrate=300A FLIGHT to rescue stranded holidaymakers was dramatically aborted yesterday - after the pilot smelt ASH and reported an engine fault.
The worried captain was heard describing a "quite intense" smell of volcanic ash.
Moments later, he reported: "We've lost one of our engine bleeds, possible through a contaminated valve."
The pilot abandoned the Thomas Cook flight, making a detour out over the North Sea before returning to Manchester Airport.
The Boeing 757 had just left Manchester for Corfu with only crew on board when the drama began shortly after 1am.
Experts fear ash may have clogged up the engine bleed valve. The valve sucks air into the cabin to maintain pressure.
Flight TCX952P was among the first to leave after the UK ban on air traffic was lifted.
Its pilot alerted air traffic controllers to the problem at 20,000ft over Stafford on the way to the plane's cruising altitude of 39,000ft.
The Sun obtained access to tense cockpit recordings.
The unnamed captain said: "We've had the smell of ash in the aircraft and twice one of our engine bleed-airs has failed. We're pretty sure it's volcanic ash."The controller asks: "Are you declaring an emergency?"
Pilot: "Negative. But I think we may be requesting descent to 350 (35,000ft) when we've got ourselves sorted. We may be requesting further descent if we can't get this thing to pressurise properly."
After the controller gives permission to descend, the captain says: "In the climb, we could smell the ash.
"The smell stayed on for a while. Once we'd levelled at 39 (39,000ft) we then lost one engine bleed, so we've taken all the required actions for volcanic ash encounter."
He later says a strong smell was first encountered at 16,000ft.
After a request from the captain to be allowed to land quickly without being put in a holding pattern, the Boeing returned safely to Manchester.
The drama was legally recorded by amateur enthusiasts, who relayed it to specialist websites.
Thomas Cook said the flight was aborted as a precautionary measure because of a "minor technical fault with its air conditioning".
A spokeswoman insisted it was not caused by ash and the plane was in no danger.
But retired military and commercial pilot Lawrence Rayment, 51, who tracked the flight via an online radar map, said: "It is a very uncommon fault.
"For it to happen as the plane flew through the ash cloud is a worry."
Meanwhile, travel firms yesterday attacked Britain's response to the ash crisis.
A spokesman for TUI Travel said: "The Government's response has been a shambles. It is clear that they underestimated the severity of the consequences of the decision for a blanket closure of the airspace for such a protracted period of time."
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said of the flights ban: "It's fair to say we've been too cautious."
The crisis cost airlines more than £1billion as a total of 102,000 flights were axed worldwide.
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