ETOPS overview
Ops conducted in a twin engine transport category aircraft, over a specific route that contain a point further then 60mins flying time at the approved single engine cruise speed under standard conditions in still air from an adequate airport regardless of terrain
ETOPS 75
Conducted wholly within Canadian domestic or in benign areas will now generate a flight plan
Central focus of ETOPS is:
Minimizing risk that a diversion would be needed (precluding) and protecting any diversion that may be required (protecting)
How do they preclude the need for diversion?
- Approvals for aircraft
- High performance equipment for reliability and redundancy
- Maintenance programs and duties for ETOPS
- MELs designed for ETOPS
- System malfunctions are passed to dispatch prior to entering ETOPS airspace
How do they protect diversions?
- Suitable ETOPS alternates
- Making sure Wx doesn’t drop below app minima for ETOPS alt prior to entering ETOPS airspace
- Maintaining inside the boundaries
- Ensuring enough fuel for most fuel critical point
5.
Other names for ETOPS
FAA - extended range operations
ICAO - extended diversion time ops
Air Canada uses TC’s ETOPS guidance except:
- Any flight outside 60 mins is considered ETOPS, regardless of where
- Air Canada adopted ‘standard diversion time ops’ STDO. Ensures fuel available for a diversion
ETOPS Approval has 3 components:
- Aircraft certification
- Operator approval
- Qualification and recency
How many ETOPS segments can there be per flight plan?
One
The ETOPS segment starts and ends where?
ETOPS entry point (EEP) and ETOPS exit point (EXP). (60min circle around airfields)
Are alternates/diversions planned on still air?
No, planned for forecast weather conditions. However the circles are drawn with still air. Fuel determined off this too.
ETOPS ALT Wx req
Same as for take off and destination alternates do. But also crosswind component. Either single engine crosswind limit or 80% of max demonstrated crosswind
When must a maint service check be conducted?
Any ETOPS flight greater then 75 mins, or ETOPS75 outside of Canadian domestic or benign areas
When can a service check be used as a walk around?
Within 2 hrs
ETOPS significant systems as defined by TC
aeroplane propulsion system and any other aeroplane systems whose failure could adversely affect the safety of an ETOPS flight, or whos functioning is important to continued safe flight and landing during an aeroplane extended diversion’
Malfunctions considered for ETOPS diversions (same as military)
Engine failure
Depressurization
Or combination of both.
Whatever uses the most fuel is used to plan fuel.
Critical point
Diversion to an ETOPS alt that would require the most amount of fuel. Not just fuel to get to the alt but fuel to get to the critical point as well. A lot of the times it is the last ETP.
Failure condition codes on the OFP. Eng fail, depress, or both
Eng fail - 1X
Depress - DC
Both - DX
PFOB
PFOB is the amount of fuel required at certain points along the ETOPS segment to meet our ‘ETOPS obligations’.
ETP - diversion
From any Equal Time Points (ETPs), our obligation is to be able to complete a diversion to the nearest filed ETOPS alternate with the most adverse systems failure condition, and once there, descend to 1,500 feet AAE, hold for 15 minutes and then conduct an instrument approach and land.
ETOPS entry point obligation
At the ETOPS Entry Point (EEP), our obligation is to have enough fuel to get to the Critical Point and then make that diversion to the nearest filed
ETOPS alternate.
Extra fuel
If extra fuel would be required to protect the Critical Point diversion scenario, beyond the fuel needed to finish the flight in a normal condition, then ETOPS Fuel is added to the Planned Fuel amount.
Upon receipt of an ETOPS flight plan, Crews should:
- Confirm ETOPS approval (eg 75. 120, etc)
- Check for MELs
- Review ETOPS/ETP, and critical point info
- Note the EFOB and PFOB for entry and diversions
- Check Wx/notams at Alts
- Check route diagram to ensure it stays with ETOPS area if op
