In the event of an emergency requiring a return to the departure airport, the aircraft circles nearby in order to consume fuel to get down to within the maximum structural landing weight limit, or, if the situation demands, simply lands overweight without delay. When aircraft dump fuel they release thousands of gallons of aircraft fuel, or kerosene, into the atmosphere. Usually, the fuel evaporates before it reaches the ground. However, this is only the case if the aircraft is flying high enough. Some airplanes, usually the larger ones have the capability to dump fuel to reduce the landing weight. Dumping fuel can reduce the weight quickly, dumping thousands of pounds in a few minutes. As a rule of thumb for the Boeing 747, pilots quote dump rates ranging from a ton per minute, to two tons per minute, to a thumb formula of dump time = (dump weight / 2) + 5 in minutes. In 2009, an Airbus A340-300 returning to its airport of departure shortly after takeoff dumped 53 tons of fuel in
Is the Ambient Pressure inside an Aircraft same as that of Earth's Surface? Pressurization systems are designed to keep the interior cabin pressure between 12 and 11 psi at cruise altitude. On a typical flight, as the aircraft climbs to 36,000 feet, the interior of the plane climbs to between 6000-8000 feet. To maintain the pressure in the cabin equal to that at low altitude, even while the airplane is at 30,000 feet, the incoming air is held within the cabin by opening and closing an outflow valve, which releases the incoming air at a rate regulated by pressure sensors. Pressure inside an Aircraft is maintained at normal ground level atmospheric pressure . Explanation : The atmospheric pressure is maximum at sea level. As we go to higher altitudes, the air becomes thinner and the atmospheric pressure decreases. The meaning of the term "ambient" is relating to the immediate surroundings, so ambient pressure is the pressure of the surrounding air that comes into c