What is the purpose of a fuel jettisoning dump system?
Fuel dumping (or a fuel jettison) is a procedure used by aircraft in certain emergency situations before a return to the airport shortly after takeoff, or before landing short of the intended destination (emergency landing) to reduce the aircraft’s weight.
How bad is fuel dumping?
Yes, unburnt jet fuel – whether from the engine exhaust or dumped in an emergency – is bad for the environment. Dumping fuel is done under emergency conditions; if the aircraft can be flown safely, it is more likely that the crew will simply fly around and burn off as much as they can before attempting a landing.
What’s the difference between jettison and dumping fuel?
Dumping fuel means the fuel (alone) is jettisoned. One can jettison any item (removable in flight) from the aircraft. For example, a combat aircraft jettisons its fuel tank, while a civil airliner dumps the fuel, not the tank. Jettison means to ‘throw something overboard’, it isn’t limited to fuel.
What does it mean when an airplane dumps fuel?
Dumping fuel means the fuel (alone) is jettisoned. One can jettison any item (removable in flight) from the aircraft. For example, a combat aircraft jettisons its fuel tank, while a civil airliner dumps the fuel, not the tank.
When did they start dumping fuel into Jets?
As jets began flying in the US in late 1950s and early 1960s, the FAA rule in effect at the time mandated that if the ratio between an aircraft’s maximum structural takeoff weight and its maximum structural landing weight was greater than 1.05, the aircraft had to have a fuel-dump system installed.
What are the requirements for a fuel jettisoning system?
(i) The fuel jettisoning system must be designed so that any reasonably probable single malfunction in the system will not result in a hazardous condition due to unsymmetrical jettisoning of, or inability to jettison, fuel.