Mt. Etna, in Italy, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, producing several explosive events in recent years. Those eruptions form high eruption columns that often reach the top of the troposphere (and sometimes even the lower part of the stratosphere) and create several disruptions to air traffic, mainly to the Fontanarossa International Airport in Catania, which is about 20 NM (~ 37 km; NM = Nautical Miles) away...

Volcano observatories (VOs) around the world are required to maintain surveillance of their volcanoes and inform civil protection and aviation authorities about impending eruptions. They often work through consolidated procedures to respond to volcanic crises in a timely manner and provide a service to the community aimed at reducing the potential impact of an eruption. Within the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW) fra...