Originally Posted by godeacs06

No problem alpac, you're correct in your last post too.

Basically what happens in every situation similar to this, is the pilots converse with ATC, maintenance, manufacturers, etc to "triage" the specific problem on board. Any fire on airliner the basic goal is to get it down as fast as possible. Every plane has a landing gear stress limits and, believe it or not, every runway has weight limits as well. So in an urgent disaster like a fire, all airliners would get down to maximum landing weight for the conditions and try to set her down.

In a situation like yesterday's, it would take a 747 with a transcontinental load of fuel probably about 5 hours or more to burn enough fuel in the central tanks and wing tanks to get down to a low enough and BALANCED weight.

So obviously all large airliners have fuel dumping capability while the smaller ones do not.

What aggravates me is how little research it would take the major networks to find out small but important details like these. Instead, some stupid anchor who cannot even get the model and manufacturer of the airplane correct is making dubious comments that just reduce his/her and the network's credibility. If anyone watched Larry King's "play-by-play" from last night, you know what I am talking about.