Fuel Venting
 

Guys,

When a pilot needs to vent fuel in cases of an emergency, is there a routine procedure, like for example, where the venting should take place (over an ocean etc) and at what altitude.

It might sound like a silly question, but would the fuel not rain down on us, the countryside etc ?

LDG

When a plane needs to dump fuel, ATC assigns it a certain fuel dumping area and altitude to do so. This ensures that no other traffic gets into the fuel spray and that the fuel evaporates before it's had the chance to even come close to the ground.

Just imagine the boiling point of kerosine at, say, 500hPa ;)

The guidance to controllers is as follows:-

Pilots of aircraft in flight are permitted to jettison fuel in an emergency. The decision to jettison rests solely with the pilot but he may request guidance from air traffic control.

Controllers are to recommend that jettisoning of fuel should be carried out:
a) over the sea, if at all possible; or
b) above 10 000 feet agl.

Exceptionally, if a) or b) is operationally impracticable or inconsistent with safety, fuel may be jettisoned above 7000 feet agl in winter and above 4000 feet agl in summer.
For fuel to be jettisoned below these levels the situation must be unavoidable.

A vertical separation of at least 1000 feet between aircraft should be maintained.

Source MATS Pt 1

fuel venting
 

picture the scene, a victor has just got airborne from marham and two engines decide to quit. he vented over 100000 lb of fuel over swaffham. the locals werent impressed!

So HB, you've actually got hold of a current MATS Part 1? RESPECT!:)

ATCO Two

No, it is ammendment 30, dated 24th June 1996. :)