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Episode 38 A Tricky Fuel Problem
For aviaiton safety, some sacrifices have to be made.
Claire: Helloeveryone, thanks for tuning in to 5 Minutes with AOPA-China, we are back! Andwe’ll continue to accompany you on every Friday. I’m Claire.
Nick: I’m Nick.Last year was really monumental to us. We started the podcast and have beenassiduous in presenting it. Thanks for your support which is a great motivationfor us.
Claire: Withoutfurther ado, let’s kick off today’s topics.
Nick: Right, 5minutes with AOPA-China always gives you the latest hot topics in aviation.
Claire: The flight3U603 from Chengdu to Dubai returned shortly after takeoff due to an unexpectedclosure of the designated airspace in Pakistan. But the plane circled in theair for more than 4 hours before landing.
Nick: Why didn’tit land directly? I imagine it wasn’t the best day for everybody on board.
Claire: That’sprecisely what we are gonna talk about. Do you know the terminology “fueldumping” or “fuel jettison”?
Nick: Sure, anaircraft dumps fuel mid-flight before landing because it’s too heavy to land,and dumping is the quickest way to lose weight. By the way, it’s the mostexpensive way to lose weight that I know. It often occurs when the aircraftmeets some certain emergencies and is forced to land shortly after takeoff.
Claire: Exactly,but why the aircraft is considered too heavy to land while it could take offwith such weight?
Nick: Hmmm, I’mall ears for you.
Claire: Aircrafthave two major types of weight limits, I think you’ve already learned that incollege.
Nick: Yes, maximumtakeoff weight and maximum landing weight.
Claire: Correct.MTOW is often considerably greater than the maximum weight for landing. Thismeans the aircraft on a normal routine flight would be heavier due to carryingfuel to get the plane from point A to point B, allowing for variouscontingencies in flight such as being redirected due to bad weather.
Nick: So the planearrives at its intended destination, the fuel will be burned, the weight willreduce to a certain amount suitable for a safe landing.
Claire: However,this plane which was forced to return shortly after takeoff has only consumed asmall amount of fuel. And unluckily, the A330-300 doesn’t have fuel dumpingsystem installed.
Nick: So there isno easy way out if you cannot dump the fuel quickly. You’d have to take thelong way of burning it little by little. That’s one case fuel efficiencyfeature playing against you.
Claire: I know,it’s like watching someone slowly burning a pile of cash. But they are reallybetween a rock and a hard place. Because if the aircraft lands with overweight,it would cause structure damage. You know heavy aircraft put a lot of stress onlanding gear especially during hard landings. Furthermore, it would putpassengers’ lives in peril. So the A330-300 had no choice but circling.
Nick: One morequestion. If the plane is capable of fuel dumping, what would have happened tothe fuel then? I mean, will the fuel do harm to people on the ground?
Claire: Ah, simplyput, it does not even touch the ground, it merely evaporates in the air.
Nick: That’s nice.
Claire: Concerning all the negative impact toenvironment and safety, the authority sets very strict requirements for whenand how this practice is permissible. Their guidance makes it very clear thatfuel dumping can only occur at a minimum altitude of 610 meters or 2,000 feet.This is to ensure that the fuel does fully evaporates.
Nick: Also atleast 8 kilometers from other air traffic, allowing enough time forevaporation.
Claire: Tomitigate the negative effect on environment and people, when a fuel dumping isrequired, air traffic controllers would assign the aircraft to an airspace inwhich the fuel can be dumped, mostly in an unpopulated area.
Nick: I see. And bothdumping fuel and circling to burn the fuel has a high cost. As a passenger, Ihope the plane could be retrofitted with a fuel dumping system. At least, itwon’t be so time-consuming.
Claire: Haha, youhave a point. Dear listener, what do youthink of the event? Any comment is welcome. That brings us to the end of today’s5 Minutes with AOPA-China.
Nick: Wait! Bigexciting news here, our podcast is on the apple podcast platform now. Don’thesitate to listen and subscribe and give us a five star review.
Claire: You canalso find us on Wechat, Facebook, Twitter and Ximalaya. See you.
Nick: Bye for now.
Words andExpressions:
1. Fuel jettison/fuel dumping 空中放油
2. Airspace 空域
3. Maximum takeoff weight最大起飞重量
4. Maximum landing weight最大着陆重量
5. Air traffic controller 空管员
中文概述：
冬歇结束，5 Minutes with AOPA-China正式回归啦！号外~号外~我们的播客节目已经在苹果的podcast APP上线，欢迎关注和收听。
（Podcast截图）
这周最热的话题要数川航从成都到迪拜的航班3U603,中途遇到巴基斯坦空域临时关闭，不得不返航，飞机在空中盘旋等待了4个多小时才安全降落。
为什么这架A330-300不直接降落，而是现在空中盘旋了这么久？
（绕圈图）
首先这涉及到两个概念：飞机的最大起飞重量和最大着陆重量。飞机的最大起飞重量一般比最大着陆重量大的多，因为飞机起飞是会携带所需的燃油和备用燃油，以防飞行途中遇到紧急情况，不得不改变航线，备降其他的机场。因此，飞机降落时的重量通常比起飞时小的多。所以飞机在设计时，还选择做大着陆重量小的起落架系统，节约航空公司的成本。
而这趟航班刚起飞不久就返航，飞机重量远远大于最大着陆重量，直接着陆会有很大风险，如对飞机结构造成损坏，起落架无法承受过大的压力，危害乘客的人身安全。
通常飞机会采取两种方法来减重。第一，有空中放油系统的飞机会在空管员指定的高度和区域放油，这是最快的减重方式。燃油在空中蒸发，对环境的影响很小，放油的区域也通常是人烟稀少的地方。
（空中放油装置图）
第二，没有放油装置的飞机，只能在空中盘旋，等待，消耗燃油，总重小于最大着陆重量之后，再安全降落，如此次A330-300的做法。
虽然空中放油和空中盘旋消耗油量的成本都很高，但乘客们的安全最重要。第二天凌晨，申请临时航线获批之后，飞机再次从成都起飞，乘客们已安全到达迪拜。
View all episodes
By 上官琪琳 李方旺For aviaiton safety, some sacrifices have to be made.
Claire: Helloeveryone, thanks for tuning in to 5 Minutes with AOPA-China, we are back! Andwe’ll continue to accompany you on every Friday. I’m Claire.
Nick: I’m Nick.Last year was really monumental to us. We started the podcast and have beenassiduous in presenting it. Thanks for your support which is a great motivationfor us.
Claire: Withoutfurther ado, let’s kick off today’s topics.
Nick: Right, 5minutes with AOPA-China always gives you the latest hot topics in aviation.
Claire: The flight3U603 from Chengdu to Dubai returned shortly after takeoff due to an unexpectedclosure of the designated airspace in Pakistan. But the plane circled in theair for more than 4 hours before landing.
Nick: Why didn’tit land directly? I imagine it wasn’t the best day for everybody on board.
Claire: That’sprecisely what we are gonna talk about. Do you know the terminology “fueldumping” or “fuel jettison”?
Nick: Sure, anaircraft dumps fuel mid-flight before landing because it’s too heavy to land,and dumping is the quickest way to lose weight. By the way, it’s the mostexpensive way to lose weight that I know. It often occurs when the aircraftmeets some certain emergencies and is forced to land shortly after takeoff.
Claire: Exactly,but why the aircraft is considered too heavy to land while it could take offwith such weight?
Nick: Hmmm, I’mall ears for you.
Claire: Aircrafthave two major types of weight limits, I think you’ve already learned that incollege.
Nick: Yes, maximumtakeoff weight and maximum landing weight.
Claire: Correct.MTOW is often considerably greater than the maximum weight for landing. Thismeans the aircraft on a normal routine flight would be heavier due to carryingfuel to get the plane from point A to point B, allowing for variouscontingencies in flight such as being redirected due to bad weather.
Nick: So the planearrives at its intended destination, the fuel will be burned, the weight willreduce to a certain amount suitable for a safe landing.
Claire: However,this plane which was forced to return shortly after takeoff has only consumed asmall amount of fuel. And unluckily, the A330-300 doesn’t have fuel dumpingsystem installed.
Nick: So there isno easy way out if you cannot dump the fuel quickly. You’d have to take thelong way of burning it little by little. That’s one case fuel efficiencyfeature playing against you.
Claire: I know,it’s like watching someone slowly burning a pile of cash. But they are reallybetween a rock and a hard place. Because if the aircraft lands with overweight,it would cause structure damage. You know heavy aircraft put a lot of stress onlanding gear especially during hard landings. Furthermore, it would putpassengers’ lives in peril. So the A330-300 had no choice but circling.
Nick: One morequestion. If the plane is capable of fuel dumping, what would have happened tothe fuel then? I mean, will the fuel do harm to people on the ground?
Claire: Ah, simplyput, it does not even touch the ground, it merely evaporates in the air.
Nick: That’s nice.
Claire: Concerning all the negative impact toenvironment and safety, the authority sets very strict requirements for whenand how this practice is permissible. Their guidance makes it very clear thatfuel dumping can only occur at a minimum altitude of 610 meters or 2,000 feet.This is to ensure that the fuel does fully evaporates.
Nick: Also atleast 8 kilometers from other air traffic, allowing enough time forevaporation.
Claire: Tomitigate the negative effect on environment and people, when a fuel dumping isrequired, air traffic controllers would assign the aircraft to an airspace inwhich the fuel can be dumped, mostly in an unpopulated area.
Nick: I see. And bothdumping fuel and circling to burn the fuel has a high cost. As a passenger, Ihope the plane could be retrofitted with a fuel dumping system. At least, itwon’t be so time-consuming.
Claire: Haha, youhave a point. Dear listener, what do youthink of the event? Any comment is welcome. That brings us to the end of today’s5 Minutes with AOPA-China.
Nick: Wait! Bigexciting news here, our podcast is on the apple podcast platform now. Don’thesitate to listen and subscribe and give us a five star review.
Claire: You canalso find us on Wechat, Facebook, Twitter and Ximalaya. See you.
Nick: Bye for now.
Words andExpressions:
1. Fuel jettison/fuel dumping 空中放油
2. Airspace 空域
3. Maximum takeoff weight最大起飞重量
4. Maximum landing weight最大着陆重量
5. Air traffic controller 空管员
中文概述：
冬歇结束，5 Minutes with AOPA-China正式回归啦！号外~号外~我们的播客节目已经在苹果的podcast APP上线，欢迎关注和收听。
（Podcast截图）
这周最热的话题要数川航从成都到迪拜的航班3U603,中途遇到巴基斯坦空域临时关闭，不得不返航，飞机在空中盘旋等待了4个多小时才安全降落。
为什么这架A330-300不直接降落，而是现在空中盘旋了这么久？
（绕圈图）
首先这涉及到两个概念：飞机的最大起飞重量和最大着陆重量。飞机的最大起飞重量一般比最大着陆重量大的多，因为飞机起飞是会携带所需的燃油和备用燃油，以防飞行途中遇到紧急情况，不得不改变航线，备降其他的机场。因此，飞机降落时的重量通常比起飞时小的多。所以飞机在设计时，还选择做大着陆重量小的起落架系统，节约航空公司的成本。
而这趟航班刚起飞不久就返航，飞机重量远远大于最大着陆重量，直接着陆会有很大风险，如对飞机结构造成损坏，起落架无法承受过大的压力，危害乘客的人身安全。
通常飞机会采取两种方法来减重。第一，有空中放油系统的飞机会在空管员指定的高度和区域放油，这是最快的减重方式。燃油在空中蒸发，对环境的影响很小，放油的区域也通常是人烟稀少的地方。
（空中放油装置图）
第二，没有放油装置的飞机，只能在空中盘旋，等待，消耗燃油，总重小于最大着陆重量之后，再安全降落，如此次A330-300的做法。
虽然空中放油和空中盘旋消耗油量的成本都很高，但乘客们的安全最重要。第二天凌晨，申请临时航线获批之后，飞机再次从成都起飞，乘客们已安全到达迪拜。