Planes often dump fuel into the ocean or over land if they have to make an emergency landing. How damaging to the environment is this?
2007-12-23 01:27:10 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
It is very rare for a commercial liner to dump fuel.
As a flight attendant involved in two emergency landings, we circled until enough fuel was burned off. If they do dump, the effects aren't much worse on the atmosphere than the normal combustion during flight.
2007-12-23 01:53:17 · answer #1 · answered by 13th Floor 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Of course it is not good for the environment. Jet fuel is similar to kerosene. Kerosene has Benzene in it. A known carcinogen. It doesn't happen very often. If it does, chances are it will atomize and or evaporate before reaching the ground. Its quantity over a long period of time that ruins the environment. This would not scratch the surface when compared to the amount of unburned hydrocarbons released by internal combustion engines and jet engines.
2007-12-23 23:41:13 · answer #2 · answered by tml1x 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jet fuel is mostly a kerosene like product, made from a natural resource and will eventually break down in the long term. In the short term, it is still a light oil. Dumping from high altitudes allows the fuel to break into very small droplets and be dispersed over a wider area for the sake of the environment.
The question here is........ do we dump the fuel or make an emergency landing with all that weight and risk a severe crash? do we dump the fuel or ride around for hours in a broken plane burning it off into the atmosphere? either way, we got to get rid of the fuel in the name of safety!
2007-12-23 10:08:29 · answer #3 · answered by terrellfastball 6 · 6⤊ 2⤋
Jet-A fuel evoparates after falling 3,000ft. Commercial aircraft fly well above this when dumping fuel. And no they dont OFTEN dump fuel.
The effect on the enviorment is minimal.
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Since I have already started getting thumbsdown ratings, let me go into further detail. As helper correctly noted, many of the planes out there dont have the ability to dump fuel. The FAA only requires the ability to dump fuel if your aircraft's maximum takeoff weight and maximum landing weight vary by a number greater than 105%.
The actual operation is usually cordinated by ATC as so not to exceed seperation requirments.
2007-12-23 09:35:54 · answer #4 · answered by Charles 5 · 9⤊ 1⤋
It is bad. But not as bad as those crude oil spill.
But consider the alternative - all the people dead from fire.
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Then poster above is correct. Often in these cases you hear about planes circling to burn off fuel. When I was taking pilot lessons, we had to learn all about our planes. Yet there were no switches to dump fuel.
Good Luck
2007-12-23 09:36:41 · answer #5 · answered by Lover not a Fighter 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The fuel actually vaporizes (evaporates) before it reaches the ground. It still isn't great for the evironment, but it's not like an oil spill, if that's what you were thinking.
2007-12-24 02:12:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would have to agree with Charles M I leaned that in my ATC class and @ Flight safety Dispatchers course
2007-12-23 23:46:41 · answer #7 · answered by tony 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know. But it burns my eyes and makes the shingles on my roof glow and steam. I hope its not ruining the water in my well. I don't want my baby to end up like last time.
2007-12-23 19:33:30 · answer #8 · answered by slgraff✪✪ 4 · 1⤊ 5⤋
I'd say pretty bad. I bet it's worse than their second hand smoke theory!
2007-12-23 09:31:37 · answer #9 · answered by Nats 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋