MRJT Additional Procedures

Extended Twin Operations (ETOPS) - Introduction

The loss of a power unit, or certain major systems, by twin-engine Performance Class A aircraft whilst flying over water or remote areas, causes greater problems than similar events on aircraft with three or four engines. It is, therefore, necessary to limit the distance all such twin-engine aircraft (including those powered by turboprops and reciprocating engines) may be away from an adequate airfield. This distance equals one hour’s flight time, in still air and standard conditions, at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise speed.

Any operations planned to fly a twin-engine public transport aeroplane beyond this distance from an adequate aerodrome will be considered to be Extended Twin Operations (ETOPS).

AnoperatormaybeauthorizedtoconductETOPSwithaparticularairframe/enginecombination within a particular area (for example the North Atlantic) where the maximum diversion time, from any point along the proposed route of flight to an adequate aerodrome, is up to 180 minutes or less (90, 120 or 138 minutes) at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise speed (under standard conditions and in still air). These areas will be specified on the permission issued by the Regulatory Authority for the purpose of approving ETOPS. An operator shall not conduct operations beyond the threshold distance determined in accordance with EU-OPS 1.245 unless approved to do so by the Authority and prior to an ETOPS flight an operator shall ensure that a suitable ETOPS en route alternate is available within the appropriate diversion time.

ETOPS - Definitions

Extended Twin Operations are those operations intended to be, or actually, conducted over a route that contains a point further than one hour’s flying time (in still air) at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise speed from an adequate aerodrome. When, alternatively a Threshold Distance has been agreed with the Authority, all non-ETOPS flights shall remain within the threshold distance of an adequate aerodrome.

ETOPS Segment is the portion of an ETOPS flight that begins when the aeroplane is first more than the threshold distance from any adequate aerodrome (ETOPS Entry Point) and ends when the aeroplane is last more than the threshold distance from any adequate aerodrome (ETOPS Exit Point).

Normal One-engine-inoperative Cruise Speed. An operator shall determine a speed for the calculation of the maximum distance to an adequate aerodrome for each two-engine aeroplane type or variant operated, not exceeding VMO, based upon the true airspeed that the aeroplane can maintain with one engine inoperative under certain conditions. See EU-OPS 1.245 (b) for determination of this speed, which is only intended to be used to establish the maximum distance from an adequate aerodrome.

Threshold Time is 60 minutes.

(Before granting an extension to the threshold time the Licensing Authority considers the following factors: propulsion system reliability record, modification and maintenance programme, flight dispatch requirements, training evaluation programme, operations limitation and specifications, operational validation flight and continuing surveillance and engine reliability monitoring.)

MRJT Additional Procedures 8

Procedures Additional MRJT 8

Threshold Distance is the distance travelled in still air in 60 minutes by an aircraft at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise speed.

Rule Time is the maximum time that any point on the route may be from a suitable aerodrome for landing, as specified by the Authority and included in the operations manual.

Rule Distance is the distance travelled in the rule time, at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise speed.

Adequate Airfield. In general terms an operator may make an appraisal that an aerodrome has long enough runways, and is sufficiently equipped, to be considered adequate for his planned ETOPS routes. In particular it should be expected that at the anticipated time of use:

•The aerodrome will be available and equipped with the necessary ancillary services, such as ATC, sufficient lighting, communications, weather reporting, navaids and safety cover, and

•At least one let-down aid (ground radar would so qualify) will be available for an instrument approach.

Suitable Airfield. The commander must satisfy himself on the day, using criteria provided by the operator, that he has sufficient adequate aerodromes which, taking into account the weather and any equipment unserviceabilities, are suitable for his intended operation. An aerodrome shall only be selected as an ETOPS enroute alternative when the appropriate weather reports or forecasts, or any combination thereof, indicate that, between the anticipated time of landing until one hour after the latest possible time of landing, conditions will be at or above the planning minima.

ETOPS - Minimum Equipment List (MEL)

Primary system redundancy levels appropriate to ETOPS will be reflected in the MEL. For aeroplanes in operational service the existing MEL will be re-evaluated and adjusted as necessary to reflect the primary system redundancy levels required for ETOPS. Primary airframe systems are those which have a fundamental influence on flight safety and could be adversely affected by the shutdown of a power unit.

Examples are:

Electrical/battery, Hydraulic, Pneumatic, Flight Instrumentation, Fuel, Flight Control, Ice Protection, Engine Start and Ignition, Propulsion System Instruments, Navigation and Communications, APUs, Air Conditioning and Pressurization, Cargo Fire Suppression, Emergency Equipment, Engine Fire Detection and Extinguishing Systems and any other equipment for ETOPS.

Procedures Additional MRJT 8

ETOPS - Communication and Navigation Facilities

An aeroplane shall not be dispatched on ETOPS unless:

•Communication facilities are available to provide, under all expected conditions of propagation at the normal one-engine-inoperative cruise altitudes, reliable two-way voice communications between the aeroplane and the appropriate air traffic control unit over the planned route of flight and routes to any suitable alternate to be used in the event of diversion; and,

•Non-visual ground navigation aids are available and located so as to provide, taking account of the navigation equipment installed in the aeroplane, the navigation accuracy required over the planned route and flight altitude, and the routes to any alternate and altitudes to be used in the event of diversion for whatever reason; and,

•Approved visual and non-visual aids are available at the specified alternates for the authorized types of approaches and operating minima.

ETOPS - Fuel Policy Pre-flight

An operator shall ensure that the pre-flight calculation of usable fuel required for a flight includes:

•Taxi fuel

•Trip fuel

•Reserve fuel consisting of:

•Contingency

•Alternate fuel, if a destination alternate is required

•Final reserve fuel (for aeroplanes with turbine power units, fuel to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1500 ft (450 m) above aerodrome elevation in standard conditions), and,

•Additional fuel, if required by the type of operation (e.g. ETOPS), and,

•Extra fuel if required by the commander

ETOPS - Fuel Policy In-flight

An operator shall ensure that in-flight replanning procedures for calculating usable fuel required when a flight has to proceed along a route, or to a destination other than originally planned, includes:

•Trip fuel for the remainder of the flight.

•Reserve fuel consisting of:

•Contingency fuel.

•Alternate fuel, if a destination alternate is required.

•Final reserve fuel (for aeroplanes with turbine power units, fuel to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1500 ft (450 m) above aerodrome elevation in standard conditions), and

•Additional fuel, if required by the type of operation (e.g. ETOPS), and

•Extra fuel if required by the commander.

ETOPS - Critical Fuel

In general an aeroplane shall not be dispatched on an ETOPS flight unless it carries sufficient fuel and oil; and in addition, such additional fuel and oil as may be required to fly to a suitable aerodrome for landing in the event of the shutdown of a engine, or in the event of airframe system failure(s), which may require diversion to an alternate. It should be assumed that this event occurs at the most critical point in terms of overall fuel and oil requirements along the planned route of flight. Thus for ETOPS operations the “Trip fuel for the remainder of the flight” will be the CRITICAL FUEL i.e the fuel from the most Critical Point (CP)/Equal Time Point (ETP) to the diversion aerodrome based upon a consideration of three possible events:

•Simultaneous failure of an engine and the pressurization (this is the worst scenario) An

emergency descent down to FL100 at VMO/MMO with the speed brakes extended and cruise to the diversion airfield at LRC speed.

•Total pressurisation failure (but no engine failure). An emergency descent down to FL100 at VMO/MMO with the speed brakes extended and cruise to the diversion airfield at LRC speed.

•Engine failure (but no pressurization failure). Descent and cruise will be initiated at the selected speeds and stabilizing level.

The fuel required will be the greatest of the All-engine and two Single-engine cases. This amount is then compared to the fuel planned to be on the aircraft at the most critical CP/ETP; if it is greater than the planned amount then additional fuel must be uplifted.

MRJT Additional Procedures 8

Procedures Additional MRJT

690 NM, from C and E Critical Line intersection with the ETOPS track, to airfield C or E.

Mean forecast wind velocity 230/85, for flight to C or E at planned one-engine-out stabilizing pressure level.

Back-plot a wind vector from the Critical Line intersection with the ETOPS track, in the direction 230°, for 147 NM. At the end of this vector plot the Equal Line, parallel to the Critical Line.

The intersection of this Equal Line with the ETOPS track is the most limiting ETOPS ETP/CP.

Thus:

• At this position it is the same engine-out flight time to airfields at C or E,

and

•The flight planned fuel from this point must be equal to or greater than the Critical Fuel to C or E. If it is not then the extra fuel required must be loaded.