Definition
The intentional jettisoning of fuel from an aircraft in flight to reduce its weight, typically before an emergency landing or return to the departure airport, so that the aircraft is light enough to land safely within structural and performance limits.
Plain English
Releasing fuel out of the aircraft while flying, on purpose, to make the airplane lighter before landing.
Context Anchor
Seen in emergency, abnormal, and air traffic control discussions, especially when a large aircraft must return to land soon after takeoff.
Derivation
From 'dump' meaning to discard or release in bulk. The term is direct: fuel is dumped overboard. Included here only because the casual sound of 'dumping' can mask that this is a deliberate, controlled, regulated procedure — not a careless act.
Why Pilots Care
Allows a safe landing when the aircraft is too heavy due to unused fuel, preventing runway damage, structural stress, or inability to stop within available runway length.
Intuition Check
Fuel dumping does not mean an accidental fuel leak or spilling fuel on the ground. In this context, it means a deliberate in-flight release of fuel from an aircraft system.
Example Sentence 1
After the engine warning light came on shortly after takeoff, the crew requested fuel dumping to bring the aircraft down to landing weight.
Example Sentence 2
ATC instructed the flight to proceed to the fuel dumping area over the ocean and report when the jettison was complete.