Airliners.net forum: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing

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Topic: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing
Username: silentjc
Posted 2012-11-11 11:43:18 and read 1870 times.

I'm on vacation on Oahu and was sitting on the beach a little while ago. One of the nice parts of Ko Olina is you get a constant parade of planes coming into HNL. Around 9:00-9:05, HA450 was heading in, making it's slight turn to final. When I noticed something very strange. During the turn there was very distinct venting of fuel from the right wing. Why would this happen? I've never seen any dumping of fuel so close to landing before.

Topic: RE: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing
Username: Starlionblue
Posted 2012-11-11 12:30:37 and read 1870 times.

Probably condensation from the low pressure area above the wing, not venting. Very common in high humidity and high angle of attack conditions.

[Edited 2012-11-11 12:31:16]

Topic: RE: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing
Username: tdscanuck
Posted 2012-11-11 13:30:14 and read 1870 times.

Quoting silentjc (Thread starter):
When I noticed something very strange. During the turn there was very distinct venting of fuel from the right wing. Why would this happen? I've never seen any dumping of fuel so close to landing before.

As Starlionblue said, condensation is most likely.

On the other hand, if it was really fuel venting and it was only coming from one wing, and especially if it was coming from very near the tip, then it was probably surge tank fuel sloshing out in the turn.

If the airplane was fueled very high at some point in the past some fuel could have overflowed into the surge tank. Because of where the surge tank scoops are, the fuel will sit there until an unbalanced turn kicks it outboard enough to go out the vent.

Tom.

Topic: RE: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing
Username: silentjc
Posted 2012-11-12 01:52:59 and read 1870 times.

Definitely not condensation... I've seen that, this was very much a fuel "dump" of some sort. But given that it was in a turn, and it was definitely venting fuel... my bet would be in a surge tank. That might make the most sense. Thanks tdscanuck!

Topic: RE: HA A332 Dumping Fuel Just Prior To Landing
Username: speedbird128
Posted 2012-11-19 13:05:24 and read 1870 times.

Quoting silentjc (Thread starter):
During the turn there was very distinct venting of fuel from the right wing.

Whereabouts on the wing did you observe this phenomenon?

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