Why do you ground an airplane when fueling?
Why do you ground an airplane when fueling? 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.
What fuel do planes use?
There are two main types of aviation fuel used in general aviation: jet fuel and AVGAS. Jet fuel is a refined kerosene-based, clear or straw-colored liquid that is primarily used to power turbine engines, such as turboprop and jet engines.
Can planes dump fuel mid flight?
In most cases, airlines only dump air in midair immediately before landing. They don't do it before or during takeoff, nor do they do it halfway through their flight. Rather, airlines may dump some of their airplane's excess fuel immediately before landing so that it lowers the weight of their aircraft.
Can passenger planes refuel in the air?
The cost of the refueling equipment on both tanker and receiver aircraft and the specialized aircraft handling of the aircraft to be refueled (very close line astern formation flying) has resulted in the activity only being used in military operations; there are no regular civilian in-flight refueling activities.
How long can a plane fly before running out of fuel?
Commercial airliners, such as the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380, have a range of around 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles. This means that they can fly for up to 20 hours without refueling, allowing them to travel long distances across the globe.
Do planes still dump fuel before landing?
Airlines find that fuel dumping can actually be cheaper than not dumping in certain circumstances. But it's not something pilots do on a routine basis. We spoke with Alison Duquette, spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who assured us that it doesn't happen very often.
Why do planes dump fuel after take off?
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 destination (emergency landing) to reduce the aircraft's weight.
Can a 747 land with a full tank of fuel?
Can a wide body airliner land with a full fuel tank? Yes! But it is safer to land an aircraft below its published MLW.
Can a plane be too heavy to land?
The maximum landing weight (MLW) is the maximum aircraft gross weight due to design or operational limitations at which an aircraft is permitted to land. The MLW is set in order to ensure safe landings; if an aircraft weighs too heavy during touchdown, it may suffer structural damage or even break apart upon landing.
Do planes dump fuel in the ocean?
The good news is that pilots are supposed to dump fuel at a safe height above the ground and away from other aircraft, and in addition, over as remote an area as possible. In the case of Heathrow, for example, most fuel dumps have occurred over the sea.