Hi guys,
Captain speaking,
Can somebody explain to me what ETOPS is? I've been trying to figure this out but...I know it's a silly question but anyway if we don't ask we don't learn.
Capt.
ETOPS question
Moderator: Latest news team
ETOPS stands for Extended-range Twin-engine Operations. These are the regulations governing the operations of twin-engine aeroplanes far away from airports, mainly over the oceans. In case of one engine failure, a twin-engine aircraft should never be too far away from an airport.
From the Boeing website, I have extracted these significant sentences:
From the Boeing website, I have extracted these significant sentences:
From Airbus the following:Extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) have become common practice in commercial aviation over the last 15 years.
An increasing number of operators are now providing ETOPS service to their passengers. For example, 76 percent of 767 operators and 42 percent of 757 operators are flying ETOPS routes.
In 1953, the United States developed regulations that prohibited two-engine airplanes from routes more than 60 min (single-engine flying time) from an adequate airport. These regulations were later formalized in U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Federal Aviation Regulation 121.161. The ETOPS program, as outlined in FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 120-42A, allows operators to deviate from this rule under certain conditions. By incorporating specific hardware improvements and establishing specific maintenance and operational procedures, operators can fly extended distances up to 180 min from the alternate airport. These hardware improvements were designed into Boeing 737-600/-700/ -800/-900 and 777 airplanes.
EXTENDED-TWIN OPERATIONS - HISTORY OF ETOPS
ETOPS regulations govern the design and operation of twin-engined aircraft on routes which contain a point further than one hour’s fliying time at the one-engine inoperative speed. Airbus twin-engined experience started in 1974 with the A300B4, pre-dating the first ETOPS rules by more than a decade. Today, all wide-bodied Airbus twins (A300-600, A310 and A330) are type-certificated to 180 minutes and all A320 Family aircraft to 120 minutes.
AIRBUS POSITION ON 207 MINUTES
Airbus believes that the policy of extending ETOPS maximum diversion times to 207 minutes for specified airlines for North Pacific operations is inappropriate until such time as international agreement is reached on applicable standards.
Areas of concern:
Typical application of the 207-minute authority will be in winter, when ETOPS tracks will take twin-engined aircraft to the north of the Pacific region, in the vicinity of the most remote airfields, where any diversion would probably occur in bad weather conditions and where ground facilities are minimal.
In granting the 207-minute authority, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has presented no explanation of how safety would be maintained.
What does Airbus propose?
Airbus believes that ETOPS should be formalised in regulations rather than administered through ad hoc policy letters and advisory circulars.
Airbus believes that ETOPS regulations should be driven by safety and that a public review is necessary of the risk management models used.
Airbus believes that ETOPS rules should be harmonised with international rules, rather than imposed by only the FAA for a select group of airlines.
Airbus supports the creation of an industry and government working group to review 207-minute operations.
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
