The speed with which fuel can be dumped varies but as an indication it is worth bearing in mind that the Boeing 747 dump rate for fuel ranges from one to two tonnes per minute. Moreover, fuel dumping usually takes place at a high enough altitude so that the fuel will dissipate before reaching the ground. When there is a need and capacity to proceed with fuel dumping this is coordinated with air traffic control, and precautions are taken to keep other aircraft clear of such areas. For example, a Boeing 757 has no fuel dump capability as its maximum landing weight is similar to its maximum take-off weight. Jets flying with US airlines in the 1950s and early 1960s tended to have fuel dump systems but today, a lot of planes do not have this feature as they are designed with possible overweight landings in mind. To avoid this and maximise passenger safety, some aircrafts can dump excess fuel. As such, landing with that extra weight could cause damage to the aircraft. In such a situation, the aircraft is unlikely to have burn off enough fuel to make it lighter and for its weight to be within the maximum structural landing weight. This could happen if the aircraft needs to change course or return to its point of departure. ![]() īarring the circumstances when fuel is dumped and burnt for entertainment reasons, the practice of “fuel dumping” occurs when for one reason or the other an aircraft needs to land but its weight exceeds the maximum structural landing weight. Sometimes, this same concept of fuel dumping is used in what is called “a dump-and-burn” when fuel is ignited intentionally using the plane’s afterburner to create a spectacular flame for air shows or as a finale to fireworks.
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