To be able to land safely after breakdown-Airbus makes kerosene over forest

Mainz – due to technical problems, an aircraft has drained 40 tonnes of kerosene above forest (Rhineland-Palatinate).

On machine, image information was a Lufthansa Airbus A380. The pilots of Lufthansa flight LH 440 on Way to Houston (USA) noticed problems with landing gear shortly after start on Tuesday morning at 10 and decide to return to Frankfurt.

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In order to be able to land safely, aircraft had to lose weight and dropped about 40 tonnes of fuel via Rhineland-Palatinate before machine landed safely again in Frankfurt about an hour later.

Picture clarifies most important questions about incident:

Also interesting

Why is fuel dumping allowed at all?

each aircraft has a maximum landing weight determined according to type. If machine is heavier, it could be unstable and undercarriage would be too heavily loaded, passengers, crew and aircraft itself would be at risk. Therefore, fuel dumping is necessary and allowed in emergencies. "This is about human life. That is why we must give pilots opportunity to turn ir laps through most unpopulated areas in order to drain fuel, "said a spokeswoman for German Air traffic control (DFS). What is procedure?

In an emergency such as now at LH 440, controllers of DFS carry out machine in consultation with cockpit crew at a minimum of 6000 feet (approximately 1829 meters) or higher and preferably uninhabited area with little air traffic. When pilot gets release, he pushes fuel dump button in cockpit and leaves fuel. How often does this happen?

according to German air traffic control, so-called "fuel dumping" in first half of year 2017 alone about 187 tonnes of kerosene in Germany, nearly 260 tonnes of fuel was left behind. This sounds a lot, but it is still a very rare process: in approximately three million flight movements per year in Germany, re are between 20 and 40 cases annually. Or areas used in "fuel dumping" are in Germany, Eifel, Oderwald, Sauerland, Westerwald and North Sea. Is fuel dumping dangerous for humans and environment?

Among experts worldwide controversial is how much kerosene in "fuel dumping" in air is fogged up to harmlessness and how much on ground comes up. The Rhineland-Palatinate Committee on Economic and Transport will deal with risks of decomposed kerosene for health and environment on 18 October.

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