The impressive 'dump and burn' of a Hungarian JAS-39C Gripen fighter at RAF Fairford

@DefAviation ES 7·20·2022 · 20:12 0

The edition of the Royal International Air Tattoo held at RAF Fairford, in the United Kingdom, has left some very spectacular moments.

The acrobatics of a Spanish EF-18 fighter of the 15th Wing at an airshow in the United Kingdom
The exhibition of a Spanish Airbus A400M Atlas that has stunned the British public

Some of those moments were starred by one of the two SAAB JAS-39C Gripen fighters of the Hungarian Air Force that attended this airshow. On Saturday and Sunday, one of these fighters had a solo display in which the pilot showed amazing skill at the controls of this excellent aircraft, a small and maneuverable model that (I have to confess) is among my favorite fighters. Elwyn R has published the video of this exhibition:

As can be seen in the video preview, in one of its maneuvers the Hungarian Gripen launched a colorful flare. That was not due to an engine malfunction. These types of flares are well known among aerobatic pilots who fly jets. This effect is known in aeronautical media as "dump and burn", and consists of pouring fuel from the aircraft's tanks (through the system that the device itself has to expel fuel if necessary) and setting it on fire with the post combustion of the reactor. The effect is spectacular and delights spotters. An example of this is this magnificent photo of the Hungarian Gripen "dump and burn" taken by Mark Newcastle Air Pics at RAF Fairford:

The aircraft best known for its powerful "dump and burn" is the retired General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark fighter-bomber. This plane had the fuel drain located between the nozzles of its two reactors, so it could make some spectacular flares, to the point of burning the rubber left by the wheels of the planes when they skid on the runways. In 2010, at the Williamtown Airshow, a Royal Australian Air Force F-111 carried out this formidable "dump and burn", so large that the plane looked like a rocket: