Why are airplanes grounded before refueling?
Why are airplanes grounded before refueling? Grounding ensures electrical continuity between the aircraft and the earth. Static electricity resulting from the flight or the environmental conditions on ground (wind with dust, sand, etc...) is discharged to the earth through the tires.
Can a plane fly without a fuel pump?
In high-wing aircraft, gravity propels the fuel from tank to carburetor, and fuel pumps might not be necessary. However, a low-wing airplane—and high-wing craft with fuel-injected engines—will need an engine-driven pump to move the fuel.
Why do fuel trucks and airplanes need to be grounded before pumping fuel?
Ground, or bond, your aircraft by unreeling and connecting the grounding line. This is to deter sparks from static electricity during the fueling process.
What are the rules for aircraft fueling?
(B) During all fueling operations, the aircraft shall be grounded by an approved method. (C) Smoking or lighting an open flame within 50 feet of any fueling operation is prohibited. (D) Fuel trucks shall be parked at least 50 feet from buildings.
Why do pilots dump fuel before landing?
In the event of an emergency requiring a return to the departure airport, the aircraft circles nearby in order to consume fuel to get down to within the maximum structural landing weight limit, or, if the situation demands, simply land overweight without delay.
Do planes always dump fuel before landing?
While fuel dumps don't happen every day, they're also not uncommon. Nor do they usually represent a major emergency. In fact if an aircraft is taking the time to dump fuel before landing, that's likely an indication that the issue forcing the plane to land is serious but not critical.