![]() ![]() > Maximum amount Fuel to dump: 124,332 kg Thanks as well for the info on the 330/350. Even with a severe medical no point in getting it on the ground, blowing the fuse plugs and being stuck with flat tires. However, I don't know if any operator has ordered the A350 without it.ĭidn't think about hot brakes, that's a really good point. Cabin crew are medically trained, and have access to doctors via satphone.įuel jettison system is optional both on the A330 and on the A350. Look at it this way: They could have been over the North Pacific, two hours from a diversion port when the person became ill.Īdding to this, long haul aircraft have a fairly comprehensive stock of emergency medical equipment. The FCTM states that overweight landings "can be performed in exceptional conditions" (emphasis mine). In most cases, you would not consider an overweight landing for a medical emergency. If you do end up with a brake fire or overrunning, you may have to evacuate, and during an evacuation injuries are commonplace. Threats would be high brake temperatures, which can lead to a fire, the potential of runway overrun, and poor go around performance. ![]() Normally there isn't any damage but it isn't really about the risk of damaging the aircraft. While certainly you want that medical emergency on the ground ASAP, this should be weighed against the additional threats of an overweight landing. In the end they had the best outcome they could, by slowing things down, and taking their time. The crew took the time to do all the troubleshooting they could, including a visual inspection by ATC, worked with maintenance and their company to come up with a plan, diverted to a more appropriate airport, and circled for a few hours to burn fuel since the A320 is not equipped to jettison fuel. The crew may need to contact company maintenance to accomplish troubleshooting procedures, run checklists, find a more suitable airport to land or simply come up with a plan to deal with the situation.Ī good example of slowing things down to make the best decision is JetBlue 292, where the nosegear became stuck down and twisted 90 degrees. However, landing ASAP is not always the best choice depending on the situation. In the event of a critical incident, be it a mechanical issue, or a severe medical issue, an overweight landing can be accomplished. For example, its optional on the A330, and I believe the 350, Starlionblue would know. These days, very few aircraft can actually dump fuel, and its an optional system on most that can. An overweight landing can be completed, usually requiring a maintenance inspection. Most fuel jettison systems that I know of are gravity fed, meaning the flow rate isn't constant. How fast fuel is dumped depends on the aircraft, what they were fueled to, and flight conditions. Does it really take an hour of fuel dumping to reach the landing weight from an 12 hour fuel load?Īnd what's the consequences of a landing above that weight? Surely some damage to landing gear suspension and brakes wouldn't be worth more than human life? But seemingly it has been doing that for the past hour or so, and if it's a medical emergency on board, I'm afraid it might already be too late for that. Currently, there's an ANA 77W squawking 7700 and flying circles over lake Michigan, presumibly dumping fuel before it can land. ![]()
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