Emergency procedure for aircraft to reduce weight

Fuel dumping - Wikipedia
raaf f 111 fuel dump and burn williamtown gilbert
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 … Wikipedia
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Fuel_dumping
Fuel dumping - Wikipedia
May 21, 2025 - Fuel dumping is usually accomplished ... a specific point on each wing, usually closer to the wingtips and farther away from engines, and initially appears as more liquid ......
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/explainlikeimfive › eli5: how does a plane dump fuel without affecting people on the ground?
r/explainlikeimfive on Reddit: ElI5: How does a plane dump fuel without affecting people on the ground?

At high enough altitude, the jet fuel evaporates. Even so, think of it like dumping a bit of soda into the ocean. It doesn't simply fall, it spreads out. Droplets get caught up in different currents. Some of it just mixes with the water. Same idea. The fuel thins in the air (spreads out). It evaporates ("mixes" with the air). By the time any reaches the ground, it's like tiny particles, not rain. Tiny particles are still pollution, but it's not as bad as getting rained on by pure jet fuel.

Videos
April 22, 2025
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Simple Flying
simpleflying.com › home › analysis › what happens to fuel dumped by aircraft?
What Happens To Fuel Dumped By Aircraft?
May 30, 2024 - The fuel disperses over a wide ... fades into the background gases of the atmosphere. However, if an aircraft is low enough, say after take off, and disperses its fuel, it may stay liquid until it hits the ground....
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HowStuffWorks
science.howstuffworks.com › transportation › flight › modern
Do airplanes routinely dump their fuel before landing? | HowStuffWorks
March 7, 2024 - Why would a pilot ever want to eject an airplane's fuel intentionally? And why would it happen during a flight? Although it sounds alarming, a fuel dump is a safe procedure.
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Quora
quora.com › What-are-the-consequences-of-an-aircraft-dumping-fuel-during-a-flight
What are the consequences of an aircraft dumping fuel during a flight? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): Admittedly, this information is dated. I flew the “iconic”, Boeing 727, airliner as Captain for a major airline back in the late 1980’s. I also had obtained a Turbojet Flight Engineer rating on the airplane, through the GI Bill. We had a Captain, a First Officer, and ...
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Stack Exchange
aviation.stackexchange.com › questions › 94658 › why-is-waste-water-from-lavatory-sinks-dumped-outside-in-mid-flight
aircraft design - Why is waste water from lavatory sinks dumped outside in mid-flight? - Aviation Stack Exchange

“Grey” water from the lavatory and galley sinks is dumped overboard through electrically heated drain masts.

It is much cheaper and simpler to drain it overboard rather than store it. Dumping it also makes the aircraft lighter and more fuel efficient as the flight progresses……….. (better carbon footprint?)

Between flights it drains onto the ground or unsuspecting ramp workers under the aircraft. In cruise flight the outside air is cold enough for the water to freeze instantly and form small contrails.

There are many photos online showing these mini contrails that form briefly while the water is actually draining:

Answer from Mike Sowsun on aviation.stackexchange.com
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Quora
quora.com › Does-the-used-water-from-the-sink-of-a-commercial-airplane-s-toilet-get-dumped-in-flight-or-does-it-remain-on-the-plane
Does the used water from the sink of a commercial airplane’s toilet get dumped in-flight, or does it remain on the plane? - Quora
Answer (1 of 7): On Boeing aircraft that I have flown (727, 737, 747, 757 & 767) the sink water drains out immediately through heated drain masts and can be seen in flight if you are below another aircraft. Toilet water, both the blue stuff and the stuff from the newer vacuum toilets are held in...
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QAA
qaa.com › blog › what-happens-when-airplanes-dump-fuel
What Happens When Airplanes Dump Fuel? - Quality Aircraft Accessories
March 27, 2024 - With way too much weight, the plane can suffer structural damage or, worse, even break apart during landing. When a fuel dump happens, the fuel is released at enormous pressure, projecting it into the air stream.
Find elsewhere
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Federal Aviation Administration
faa.gov › air_traffic › publications › atpubs › atc_html › chap9_section_4.html
Fuel Dumping
When information is received that an aircraft plans to dump fuel, determine the route and altitude it will fly and the weather conditions in which the operation will be conducted · Except when it is dumping fuel for emergency reasons, an aircraft in either VFR or IFR conditions may be requested ...
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Thrillist
thrillist.com › travel
How Airplane Toilets Work: Do They Dump Waste Mid-Flight? - Thrillist
January 11, 2018 - There hasn’t been much innovation in the field since then, mainly because the technology works so well. They only use a fraction of the blue sanitation liquid that they used to, and use a vacuum system to siphon waste into a tank rather than leave the work to gravity.
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Jalopnik
jalopnik.com › why-airplanes-dump-red-water-on-fires-1821130190
Why Airplanes Dump Red 'Water' On Fires - Jalopnik
December 8, 2017 - The simple answer is: that red liquid is a fire-retardant chemical that's color dyed so that it's easy to see from the ground and from the air. That helps firefighters see where it's going, and makes it easier to see where it's been dumped already.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › airplane fuel dumping on takeoff?
r/aviation on Reddit: Airplane fuel dumping on takeoff?

737 can't dump fuel. What it could be is the fuel overflow for the wing tanks. If it's hot the fuel can expand as it heats. If the tanks are full, there's nowhere for it to go so some can escape out the overflow

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Snopes
snopes.com › homepage › fact check
Do Airplane Toilets Dump Waste While in Flight? | Snopes.com
December 13, 2022 - And are we really talking about a constant rain of atmospheric feces?
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Quora
quora.com › Have-planes-voluntarily-dumped-their-toilet-waste-in-mid-flight-in-the-past
Have planes voluntarily dumped their toilet waste in mid-flight in the past? - Quora
Answer (1 of 17): WADR to those saying NO because the drain port on modern airliners can only be accessed from outside and when on the ground -- SORRY, YOU ARE WRONG. You are right on INTENT, but things do malfunction….. Please read on. A farmer on a tractor plowing his field was narrowly ...
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Blue_ice_(aviation)
Blue ice (aviation) - Wikipedia
July 27, 2025 - It is a mixture of human biowaste and liquid disinfectant that freezes at high altitude. The name comes from the blue color of the disinfectant. Airlines are not allowed to dump their waste tanks mid-flight, and pilots have no mechanism by which to do so; however, leaks sometimes do occur from ...
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SKYbrary Aviation Safety
skybrary.aero › articles › fuel-dumping-guidance-flight-crews
Fuel Dumping: Guidance for Flight Crews | SKYbrary Aviation Safety
April 1, 2025 - Fuel dumping is used by flight crews when it is necessary to land quickly but the aircraft weight exceeds the prescribed maximum.
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Quora
quora.com › How-do-planes-dump-fuel-and-what-happens-to-the-dumped-fuel-by-the-airplane
How do planes dump fuel and what happens to the dumped fuel by the airplane? - Quora
Answer (1 of 25): Most large, commercial aircraft have the ability to dump fuel. This is done using a control(s) which opens a valve and operates a pump. The point used to dump the fuel varies, depending on the type of aircraft. Most have outlets installed on the wings, or wingtips, which dumps t...
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CNN
cnn.com › 2020 › 01 › 14 › us › jet-fuel-dump-elementary-school-trnd › index.html
A plane dumped jet fuel over Los Angeles. 60 people on the ground were treated | CNN
January 15, 2020 - A Delta plane approaching Los Angeles International Airport dumped fuel, hitting children at six schools Tuesday. The victims were treated by dozens of firefighters and paramedics at the school and the FAA said it is investigting.
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Quora
quora.com › Is-it-common-for-airplanes-to-dump-fuel-before-landing-at-an-airport-If-so-what-happens-to-the-fuel
Is it common for airplanes to dump fuel before landing at an airport? If so, what happens to the fuel? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): Waiver: Observe your Company “dumping” and “quick return policy”. This just an explanation “what there happens. NO IT IS NOT COMMON AT ALL!- Actually it is extremely rare - simply because fuel is too expensive to be dumped. “Fuel dumping” is considered an “Abnormal ...
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Mental Floss
mentalfloss.com › home › mf explains it all
The Reason Why Fuel Dumped From an Airplane Doesn't Reach the Ground
September 7, 2020 - Planes sometimes need to dump fuel to keep their weight down for a safe emergency landing. Here's why it doesn't hit anything.