For the aviation fans

[SwissVan]

Those tight turns over Suikerbosrand would suggest that the zebras and wildebeest got a kerosene shower. Or does it vaporise before it hits the ground, even from that low altitude?

Yeah, often wondered about what happens to the fuel, especially at higher alitudes or when it’s well below zero

[Spokey]

Yeah, often wondered about what happens to the fuel, especially at higher alitudes or when it’s well below zero

On my current baby bizz jet we can dump. We have a “vortex generator” of sorts that by disturbing airflow it helps in vapourising the fuel as it dissipates.

On large types in an emergency close to the ground the fuel would certainly be liquid when it hits the ground.

Normally fuel dumping areas have minimum altitudes to try and ensure that fuel has dissipated before the ground.

Jet A1 has a freezing point close to minus 50. Typically the fuel in the tanks is around minus 15 to minus 30. Aircraft use various methods to keep the fuel “warm” some fuel is recirculated via fuel/ oil heat exchangers (on our aerie,heat from warm gearbox oil is used to preheat the fuel into the engine) or sometimes heat transfer systems from hydraulic pump heat can be used to heat fuel.

We are limited bulk fuel temp of Minus 37. Then we must decend! Not seen that before though.

 

Edited....but Swiss, I think you know about all them heat exchanger things!

Edited April 25, 2019 by Spokey

[kosmonooit]

Talking about freezing fuel / water freezing in fuel .. was it a BA 767 that lost power on both engines on finals to Heathrow and just about made it with a hard landing? miracle that was.

 

I've seen fuel being dumped from those outlets on the wings, it seems to be atomised in the wake turbulence.

[Long Wheel Base]

One of my buddies is a supervisor in our foreign operators section. They do the turn arounds on Iberia. I have sent him a message asking what happened. Will report back asap.

[Long Wheel Base]

Ok he responded. Hope I don't get into k@k for sharing this. The engineer left a landing gear pin in. So he will be in BIG trouble, thats suspension stuff! But also shows how the pilot never did a proper walk around. There are so many checks done to prevent this. Firstly the engineer must remove it on his walk-around and then place it in a box in the cockpit. Then the pilot does a walk around and double checks the pins are out. Then in the flight crews preflight they must check the pins are in the box in the cockpit. There is a long red flag on the pin. Really bad for it to be missed.

[Bonus]

Talking about freezing fuel / water freezing in fuel .. was it a BA 767 that lost power on both engines on finals to Heathrow and just about made it with a hard landing? miracle that was.

 

I've seen fuel being dumped from those outlets on the wings, it seems to be atomised in the wake turbulence.

LHR was a 777. Dropped like a stone. When it hit the deck the undercarriage was slammed up through the wings. If it had happened 30 seconds earlier over a built up area it would have been a major disaster.

[Long Wheel Base]

LHR was a 777. Dropped like a stone. When it hit the deck the undercarriage was slammed up through the wings. If it had happened 30 seconds earlier over a built up area it would have been a major disaster.

IICR that was the first accident for the 777? One person hurt their ankle on the escape slide but otherwise no injuries.

[Bonus]

Gear not retracting, pax with a heart attack......

  

Ok he responded. Hope I don't get into k@k for sharing this. The engineer left a landing gear pin in. So he will be in BIG trouble, thats suspension stuff! But also shows how the pilot never did a proper walk around. There are so many checks done to prevent this. Firstly the engineer must remove it on his walk-around and then place it in a box in the cockpit. Then the pilot does a walk around and double checks the pins are out. Then in the flight crews preflight they must check the pins are in the box in the cockpit. There is a long red flag on the pin. Really bad for it to be missed.

Was my first guess.

 

Was it raining when they did the walk arounds?

[Bonus]

IICR that was the first accident for the 777? One person hurt their ankle on the escape slide but otherwise no injuries.

Yes I think it was.

 

After the accident they dragged the plane to a quiet spot and put a high temporary wall around it so you couldn't see it. They also removed the tail asap so people wouldn't notice it. I saw it when we taxied past it on a flight to SA. I doubt they salvaged much from it afterwards.

[Bonus]

I've never looked before, but I see there's a pic on-line that shows the tail removed and the holes punched up through the wings.

[Bonus]

It was also a BA 777 that had the engine fire on the runway in Las Vegas. That plane was repaired I believe.

[eddy]

Something going on here. Heard this flight passing low over the house just now. Seems it took off then turned back quickly, now circling over Suikerbosrand. Burning fuel off to land a bit lighter?

Wow, that must be k@k for the pax.

 

Imagine you are just about to tuck into your dinner when you get told to tree-aan for 3 quick loops of SBR without a warm-up.

[Long Wheel Base]

  

Was my first guess.

 

Was it raining when they did the walk arounds?

Although I stay 8km(cycling distance so much less as the crow flies) from the airport we often have completely different weather. The worst I had at my place last night was light drizzle for short periods.

So what happens with that aircraft is it lands here mid morning. Then gets towed to a remote bay for the day. Then towed back to the parking bay early evening a few hours prior to departure. For international departures we need to have the aircraft in the bay 2 hours prior to departure so cargo, catering etc can do their thing. If it did rain there was no ways it rained for the whole time so a gap with no rain in those 2 hours could have been found. But even if it was raining, that is no excuse. SAFETY FIRST!!!

[eddy]

But even if it was raining, that is no excuse. SAFETY FIRST!!!

How takes the flak for the missed pin ?

[Bonus]

Absolutely. I was just thinking that people sometimes cut corners when they're doing a job in the rain. In any case there were so many steps here that got overlooked, I can't imagine why.

 

Didn't an international SA flight leaving JNB do the same thing a few years ago?

[Bonus]

I really should start Googleing answers to my own questions before I post!

 

From the net:

 

Cape Town 2005 - A scheduled flight to Frankfurt: .....dumped the fuel and returned to Cape Town International apparently because the pilot had forgotten to remove a pin that locked the undercarriage.