What happens to fuel dumped by aircraft?
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??Most large aircraft like the Boeing 747 have fuel jettison systems. If the aircraft tried to land without dumping the fuel first, it is considered an overweight landing attempt and could place immense stress on the airframe. It could also increase the risk of fire and fuel leaking onto the tarmac.
??When an aircraft decides to dump fuel at altitude, the pilots flick a switch in the cockpit, and pumps push the fuel out of nozzles in the wings. The fuel disperses over a wide enough area that the particles evaporate into a fine mist. Essentially evaporating into a gaseous form and then fading into the background gases of the atmosphere.
??However, if an aircraft is low enough, say after take off, and it disperses its fuel, it may stay in a liquid form until it hits the ground. In this case, the aircraft will try to do it overland (not water) or away from populated areas, as it is the equivalent of dumping thousands of liters of petrol onto an urban area.
??Despite being an environmental and messy risk, fuel dumping has helped avoid potential tragedies over the years.