"Adjusting Gross Weight"

[SIG600]

I hope this has changed since I was on active duty, but some flying units used to "adjust gross weight" of their fuel storage tanks near the end of each fiscal quarter. They would schedule extra flying to use up their fuel allocation, lest it be cut in the next quarter.

Haven't seen it personally, but I've heard it still goes on. You'd think saving gas/money would be a good thing, not get punished for it in the next FY.

 

[Russ]

My understanding the term when I was in is that it doesn't always mean dumping. Can be flying in a high drag configuration and thus a high power setting to adjust gross weight.

Yes/no?

 

[Huggyu2]

My understanding the term when I was in is that it doesn't always mean dumping. Can be flying in a high drag configuration and thus a high power setting to adjust gross weight.

Yes/no?

From my military experience, I'd say "no".

 

[Bobo135R]

Adjusting..

The "adjust gross weight" thing has been around a while. I use the term to request fuel dumping from command post or talking to other military folks...not ATC. If it's due to an emergency we tell ATC what's going on....but, FYI, ATC won't always know if we do or not...
BTW, over 16 million pounds of JP-8 was dumped by tankers during the Kosovo conflict from March-June of '99.

 

[Hold West]

Yeah, good point, although I've found ATC hit or miss on actually following the guidance you quote. From our end, it's just one of those things that I've heard/used over the years. With the ATC broadcast, it really makes you wonder why this came about, which in perfect flightinfo.com thread circular routing, leads us back to your original question...

(I guess I should delete my original post... )

Well, you're right there on the hit or miss. I didn't deal much with fuel dumping until I got to Hawaii - something about us being the most isolated populated land mass in the world, with a minimum 5 hour flight over water to the next stop, makes pilots much more circumspect about aborting a flight back to the departure point, and having to dump a bunch of gas to do it. We're pretty proficient at all the little details now.

 

[kc135ang]

I will say that "adjusting gross weight" sounds a lot better over the radio then just coming out and saying I have to dump 40k. Typically we only dump as a last resort and that's after attempting to find a reciever to take the off load or if it's an emergency. Otherwise I would love to have the gas I dumped because my car is a diesel.