The dust – isn’t it dangerous?

Erwin Dedekind of Paulpietersburg writes:-

A FEW weeks ago my wife and I were watching aeroplane fire fighters refilling with water at the nearby airfield of Paulpietersburg.

I could nor believe what I saw. The front plane being refilled with water with its engine running at high revs all the time, as well as two stationary planes behind the front one, with their engines running at high revs. All the time dust was blown onto the two rear planes, their engines sucking up the dust, damaging the engine valves, pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls, resulting in severe engine wear and loss of power.

To my knowledge these planes are not fitted with engine air filters.

No wonder these planes crash now and again. The pilots are dead and unable to tell that the plane did not have enough power to rapidly gain height.

My suggestion is that the first water bomb is poured over the filling area, or stopping their engine if standing in line.

[We have ascertained that what you saw was a case of “hot refuelling”, when the engine is “feathered” (it might in automobile terms be described as idling), and this is done because to switch off the engine necessitates a delay of about half an hour before it can be restarted. It is something to do with the plane’s turbocharger, and obviously the turn-around time for these planes is critical, so they refuel/reload with the engine turning. We are assured that the planes do have air filters. Editor.]