After dumping fuel and landing gear up?

Question

Why does'nt an airplane burn?

Answer 1

Fuel being dumped from an airplane can be ignited.  The only ignition source I know is the flame from a fighter aircraft's afterburner.  We used to dump fuel and ignite it to help a lost wingman find you.  It makes a great ball of fire behind the aircraft.  It does not burn fast enough to follow the fuel stream back to the aircraft and ignite the fuel on-board.  However, when dumping fuel before an emergency landing, it was important to stop it before landing as if there was a source of ignition, it would burn back to the aircraft as it slowed down.

There are ex histing photos of an F-111with burning fuel behind it.  You might find it on the Internet.

Answer 2

because the airframe slides on the runway and doesn't rip open a fueltank. If it does rip open a fueltank chances on a fire are way bigger because of the sparks igniting the fuel. That would create the fire you are referring to.

Answer 3

Airplane won't burn. Though I don't see the correlation of a landing gear up and fuel dumping.

If you don't know fuel dumping is done let us say after take-off the aircraft develops trouble that needs to return as the place their going has no maintenance guys of their own and would be costly so they return to base with a lot of fuel and they will exceed their landing weight so they have to dump fuel.

jet fuel or Jet A-1 doesn't burn easy unless you atomize or spray it like a mist then it does burn fast or if its leaking right from the wings near the engine exhaust area then it is a no go for an aircraft.

Answer 4

With or without fuel, planes that land gear up don't burn.

Fuel dumping is usually done at low altitude after engine failures during the takeoff roll or initial climb.

Answer 5

Pilot's dump fuel at a high altitude so the fuel dissolves before anything can ignite. there's not much oxygen at 35,000 feet so it's hard for a fire to start and fuel is dumped from a "special" place in the wing so it doesn't come in contact with any wires ETC.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Cathay-Pa...    fuel dump

Answer 6

Fuel is usually vented from the wingtips or tail, so it disperses in the air. Even if some of the fuel is sprayed on the airframe, it'll dry off quickly. A gear-up landing shouldn't be a problem in this case. The only real hazard would be if you're leaking or venting fuel while landing with your gear up. That would be likely to ignite the fuel with sparks from the friction.

Answer 7

I don't realy understand the question.But you should know why an airplane doesn't burn.You are a pilot.

Can you tell me what do you mean with dumping fuel and landing gear up?

When you dump fuel there're not many risks that can make the plane to burn.

Also,what can make a plane to burn when the landing gear is up?

Answer 8

why would it burn??? you r dumping fuel from the tanks ( most of them in the wings) there is nothing that could ignite the fuel, exept for oxigen, but that would happen under other conditions.

Answer 9

Nobody answered your question. It won't burn as it slides on the runway because even though there are sparks from the friction, the dump valves were closed after dumping so the fuel left is isolated from the sparking. Good question.