Originally Posted By: zulu
Trust me, they were not "dumping" fuel so much as they were literally spitting it out the back of their terribly in-efficient low bypass turbojets. In the age of 707s, 727s, DC-9s, and early 737s, their engines were HORRIBLE at low altitudes. Actual fuel dumping occurs in the upper teens to low 20 thousands of feet unless the aircraft is an emergency upon departure still stuck in TRACON airspace. Even then, they only dump over VERY rural areas. I have never worked a fuel dump that wasn't an emergency, FWIW.
Interesting!
Trust me, they were not "dumping" fuel so much as they were literally spitting it out the back of their terribly in-efficient low bypass turbojets. In the age of 707s, 727s, DC-9s, and early 737s, their engines were HORRIBLE at low altitudes. Actual fuel dumping occurs in the upper teens to low 20 thousands of feet unless the aircraft is an emergency upon departure still stuck in TRACON airspace. Even then, they only dump over VERY rural areas. I have never worked a fuel dump that wasn't an emergency, FWIW.
Interesting!