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Emergency Fuel Dumps

Pmk From United States of America, joined May 1999, 664 posts, RR: 2
Posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 781 times:

Okay...when an aircraft must make an emergency landing they often jettison fuel, I assume to both to reduce weight and also to reduce the risk of fire. Let me ask, there are airports when an A/C cannot go to a lake or desert to dump fuel. Let me ask another question; am I going to open my front door to get my newspaper and get a free Jet-A shower compliments of Delta or United?

Peter

7 replies: All unread, jump to last

AC_A340 From Canada, joined Sep 1999, 2251 posts, RR: 2
Reply 1, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 723 times:

When planes dump fuel, they are normally high in the air. The try to fly over a "vacant" area of land. If this is not possible, they dump it where they are. 99% of the fuel evaporates before it even hits the ground. The other slim amount that doesn't would be a very fine mist, almost unoticeable.

American 767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 3332 posts, RR: 14
Reply 2, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 723 times:

You'd better take your soap and shampoo !

"Aimer jusqu'a l'impossible, c'est possible". Tina Arena.

American 767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 3332 posts, RR: 14
Reply 3, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 719 times:

AC-A340 has explained it very well. Fuel evaporates before reaching sea level. The only think is, if the aircraft has an engine failure just after take off, the fuel being dumped isn't that hign of course, but it is dumped far away from a populated area.

Ben Soriano
Brussels Belgium

"Aimer jusqu'a l'impossible, c'est possible". Tina Arena.

JETPILOT From United States of America, joined May 1999, 3130 posts, RR: 32
Reply 4, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 699 times:

I dumped 11,000 pounds of fuel over downtown Miami, Kendal Pembroke Pines, Ft. Lauderdale and everywhere else between MIA and Key West. When you gotta dump you dump.

A DC8 made the news in Washigton state last year when it was caught on amateur video dumping 16,000 pounds of fuel at about 1500 feet over house. THe neigborhood stsnk for weeks.

You dump because you have an emergency. And if your dumping fuel then something is seriously wrong. You don't worry what's below you.

Airbus Boy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 5, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 694 times:

There is a FAR regarding fropping things out of you aircraft. It says you have to take precautions when you do that.

Then there is a FAR that says when you have an emergancy you can disregard the FAR to take care of your problem. This includes dropping luggage, food and fuel. And things like ATC.

It can take a while to get your fuel down to limit. In a 757 it can vent about 1 ton per minute. Think if it took off and needed to return it can take 15-20 minutes to get rid of the fuel. If it is really bad they can land over weight but no one knows what the brakes and wheels will be like. But if every one is OK who cares!!! And with the fire they can foam the runway which will prevent that. But the only thing I can think of is a gear failure and you have all the time in the world to deal with that problem.

Dave

Continental717 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 6, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 688 times:

Mostly when the fuel is dumped, if it is at a high enough altitude, It'll automatically turn to gas but will greatly pollute the ozone, (30,015)

Stlbham From United States of America, joined May 1999, 443 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (13 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 686 times:

If im not mistaken in Canada pilots are required to ask atc permission to dump fuel. As was the case in the swiss air accident. I dont think this is the case in the United States.

Regards

Brian

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