Dumping fuel
- Thread starter Aussie
- Start date
From AIM 6-3-5:
a. Should it become necessary to dump fuel, the pilot should immediately advise ATC. Upon receipt of information that an aircraft will dump fuel, ATC will broadcast or cause to be broadcast immediately and every 3 minutes thereafter the following on appropriate ATC and FSS radio frequencies:
EXAMPLE-
Attention all aircraft-fuel dumping in progress over-(location) at (altitude) by (type aircraft) (flight direction).
b. Upon receipt of such a broadcast, pilots of aircraft affected, which are not on IFR flight plans or special VFR clearances, should clear the area specified in the advisory. Aircraft on IFR flight plans or special VFR clearances will be provided specific separation by ATC. At the termination of the fuel dumping operation, pilots should advise ATC. Upon receipt of such information, ATC will issue, on the appropriate frequencies, the following:
EXAMPLE-
ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT-FUEL DUMPING BY-(type aircraft)-TERMINATED.
No minimum altitude specified, but fuel released into the atmosphere will vaporize quickly. To "wet" a home with JP, IMO you'd have to be about 2000 AGL or so with the dump rate of the average aircraft. More often than not, you'd be far higher than that.
a. Should it become necessary to dump fuel, the pilot should immediately advise ATC. Upon receipt of information that an aircraft will dump fuel, ATC will broadcast or cause to be broadcast immediately and every 3 minutes thereafter the following on appropriate ATC and FSS radio frequencies:
EXAMPLE-
Attention all aircraft-fuel dumping in progress over-(location) at (altitude) by (type aircraft) (flight direction).
b. Upon receipt of such a broadcast, pilots of aircraft affected, which are not on IFR flight plans or special VFR clearances, should clear the area specified in the advisory. Aircraft on IFR flight plans or special VFR clearances will be provided specific separation by ATC. At the termination of the fuel dumping operation, pilots should advise ATC. Upon receipt of such information, ATC will issue, on the appropriate frequencies, the following:
EXAMPLE-
ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT-FUEL DUMPING BY-(type aircraft)-TERMINATED.
No minimum altitude specified, but fuel released into the atmosphere will vaporize quickly. To "wet" a home with JP, IMO you'd have to be about 2000 AGL or so with the dump rate of the average aircraft. More often than not, you'd be far higher than that.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
To further add to the question why is it important to dump fuel in order to not come in "heavy" for a landing in an airliner?
Example:A friend of mine said that he was flying Delta a few yrs. back and he was ona MD-88 they had an emergency of some sort and had to come back to the airport.
But the pilot gave a PA stating that they had to hold to dump fuel because they were fully loaded for the flight.
Why couldn't they just land without dumping fuel?
What is the danger in an airliner landing with full tanks of fuel?
Matthew
Example:A friend of mine said that he was flying Delta a few yrs. back and he was ona MD-88 they had an emergency of some sort and had to come back to the airport.
But the pilot gave a PA stating that they had to hold to dump fuel because they were fully loaded for the flight.
Why couldn't they just land without dumping fuel?
What is the danger in an airliner landing with full tanks of fuel?
Matthew
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Why couldn't they just land without dumping fuel?
What is the danger in an airliner landing with full tanks of fuel?
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Just as a plane can be too heavy to takeoff, it can be too heavy for landing. For example, imagine a loaded 747 departing MSP for Tokyo. If the plane had to come back too MSP after departure, I imagine the weight of the loaded tanks could do damage to the plane as well as the runway.
Why couldn't they just land without dumping fuel?
What is the danger in an airliner landing with full tanks of fuel?
[/ QUOTE ]
Just as a plane can be too heavy to takeoff, it can be too heavy for landing. For example, imagine a loaded 747 departing MSP for Tokyo. If the plane had to come back too MSP after departure, I imagine the weight of the loaded tanks could do damage to the plane as well as the runway.
MD-88's cannot dump fuel.
But often large jets takeoff at a weight higher than their maximum landing weight. Depending on the severity of problem, you can elect to land above the maximum landing weight, dump fuel to reach the maximum landing weight or just burn it down.
But often large jets takeoff at a weight higher than their maximum landing weight. Depending on the severity of problem, you can elect to land above the maximum landing weight, dump fuel to reach the maximum landing weight or just burn it down.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
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MD-88's cannot dump fuel.
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Well I figured it might have been an 88. But it still coulda been one maybe they held to burn fuel and not dumb it.
Dunno but thanks fer the info nonetheless.
Matthew
MD-88's cannot dump fuel.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well I figured it might have been an 88. But it still coulda been one maybe they held to burn fuel and not dumb it.
Dunno but thanks fer the info nonetheless.
Matthew
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doug, have you ever had to return to land due to an emergency or otherwise and been a little leary about the weight of the aircraft on landing?
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I've had to return a couple of times.
But neither circumstance made me leery about the weight of the aircraft.
I've landed some overweight aircraft in non-emergency situations before, but the manual talks about maximum rate of descent at touchdown and how if you're below that threshold, it doesn't require a landing gear inspection.
doug, have you ever had to return to land due to an emergency or otherwise and been a little leary about the weight of the aircraft on landing?
[/ QUOTE ]
I've had to return a couple of times.
But neither circumstance made me leery about the weight of the aircraft.
I've landed some overweight aircraft in non-emergency situations before, but the manual talks about maximum rate of descent at touchdown and how if you're below that threshold, it doesn't require a landing gear inspection.