Razor61
21st Dec 2006, 11:24
Jets dump fuel in sky
by Rebecca Palsha
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska - Jet fuel costs $2.30 a gallon and
Elmendorf Air Force Base jets are dumping a lot of it in the skies west of
Anchorage. Last year, it was about $95,000 worth. But Elmendorf says it's
either drops the fuel or risk human lives.
Elmendorf officials say the jets dump the fuel, or "jettison" it, at 10,000
feet only when the plane or the pilot is in danger. It happens because of a
fire inside the jet or bad weather.
A flight typically takes off with about 30,000 gallons of fuel for an F-15
jet. Records show that over the past year, less than 300,000 gallons have
been dropped, which adds up to 36 flight emergencies.
But one critic questions whether these are "emergencies" and says this is a
lot of money to be throwing away, especially while the country is at war.
"The biggest issue, to me, is the waste issue. Our military is fighting
overseas to secure U.S. oil supplies, all the while intentionally dumping
fuel that they should not have to be dumping. And this is one air base out
of something like 400," said University of Alaska Marine Advisory professor
Richard Steiner.
"When the air craft commander deems it's safer to dump the fuel to get the
landing weight down in order to recover the aircraft quickly, then that
decision is pretty easy to make," said Maj. Steve Ankerstar, a pilot at
Elmendorf Air Force Base.
The Department of Environmental Conservation, however, is more interested in
the impact such fuel deposits wreak on the waters and lands surrounding the
air force base.
"Is the Air Force required to report these as spill events? That's a
question I've handed to the Department of Law. Our spill-reporting
requirements are pretty specific on land and water but when it falls into
the air category, given these incidents occurred at 10,000 feet, there is a
little gray area there," said Leslie Pearson, an on-scene spill coordinator
for Alaska's environmental stewardship agency.
DEC officials are most concerned about effects on air quality and
environmental impact.
Elmendorf officials say studies indicate that less than 1 percent of the
fuel reaches the ocean because as the jets drop the fuel it turns into
vapors, which eventually blows away.
:hmm:
by Rebecca Palsha
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska - Jet fuel costs $2.30 a gallon and
Elmendorf Air Force Base jets are dumping a lot of it in the skies west of
Anchorage. Last year, it was about $95,000 worth. But Elmendorf says it's
either drops the fuel or risk human lives.
Elmendorf officials say the jets dump the fuel, or "jettison" it, at 10,000
feet only when the plane or the pilot is in danger. It happens because of a
fire inside the jet or bad weather.
A flight typically takes off with about 30,000 gallons of fuel for an F-15
jet. Records show that over the past year, less than 300,000 gallons have
been dropped, which adds up to 36 flight emergencies.
But one critic questions whether these are "emergencies" and says this is a
lot of money to be throwing away, especially while the country is at war.
"The biggest issue, to me, is the waste issue. Our military is fighting
overseas to secure U.S. oil supplies, all the while intentionally dumping
fuel that they should not have to be dumping. And this is one air base out
of something like 400," said University of Alaska Marine Advisory professor
Richard Steiner.
"When the air craft commander deems it's safer to dump the fuel to get the
landing weight down in order to recover the aircraft quickly, then that
decision is pretty easy to make," said Maj. Steve Ankerstar, a pilot at
Elmendorf Air Force Base.
The Department of Environmental Conservation, however, is more interested in
the impact such fuel deposits wreak on the waters and lands surrounding the
air force base.
"Is the Air Force required to report these as spill events? That's a
question I've handed to the Department of Law. Our spill-reporting
requirements are pretty specific on land and water but when it falls into
the air category, given these incidents occurred at 10,000 feet, there is a
little gray area there," said Leslie Pearson, an on-scene spill coordinator
for Alaska's environmental stewardship agency.
DEC officials are most concerned about effects on air quality and
environmental impact.
Elmendorf officials say studies indicate that less than 1 percent of the
fuel reaches the ocean because as the jets drop the fuel it turns into
vapors, which eventually blows away.
:hmm: