The Icelandic Coast Guard has three Airbus H225s at its disposal. Lárusson: “Our responsibilities now encompass a wide range of tasks.”


Above fire and ice


Besides being able to operate in diverse weather, the ICG has been regularly deployed during volcanic eruptions in recent months. “Our crews have been deployed to monitor the area along with scientists from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) and the civil protection service before and after the eruption. The crews have conducted hoist missions with electrical cables over the new lava, and are also prepared to carry out evacuations in the event of an eruption,” Lárusson said. “With these flights, crews provide a record of information to the government. With the information about crevasse size, thermal image and lava flow direction, an effective plan of action can be implemented on the ground.”


60 July/Aug 2024


Each H225 is equipped with two powerful Turbomeca Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines. No modifications have been made to the engine, intake or exhaust to operate near lava flows, volcanic eruptions or ash clouds, Lárusson said. The flights are conducted safely, without impacting the engine or other components. Captain Jens Sigurdarson, an ICG pilot, added, “Flying has not been a problem for us during the recent eruptions, where we have had flowing lava streams in particular. Relatively few ash particles are released from that. During the explosive volcanic eruptions under the glacier Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, huge amounts of ash were released. That shut down air traffic for over a week. At first, we were not allowed to fly then either. Shortly thereafter, zones were designated in which we were or were not allowed to fly depending on the shape and direction of movement of the ash cloud.”


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