Guvnor,
Are you seriously suggesting that if you have a total hydraulic failure that you should fly around for ages burning off fuel (or even bother to wait for the fuel jettison if you are so equipped) so that you can land below MLW? You must be totally insane! First priority is always to get the aircraft onto the ground. Even if you have lost partial hydraulics. Get the aircraft on the ground before you lose more! Landing overweight does not mean the aircraft will blow up and even if you do burn fuel to get below MLW you will still have tons of it on board. Or are you suggesting that all fuel on board should be used and an engines-out glide approach is the only solution to all serious failures - just to ensure that fuel won't catch fire? Yeah, that would be great with a total hydraulic failure.
BTW, overweight landings happen ALL THE TIME. Usually in the case of a medical emergency shortly after takeoff. Are you saying that we should fly around dumping fuel every time there is a situation like this? Even with fuel jettison, a heart attack passenger would be long dead by the time you dumped enough fuel. As was mentioned earlier, it only requires an inspection.
Lazlo
[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: Lazlo ]