ETOPS

EXTENDED TWIN
OPERATIONS

ETOPS
(Extended Twin Operations)

It is the acronym, created by ICAO

(International Civil Aviation Organisation) to
describe the operation of twin-engine aircraft
over a route that contains a point further than
one hours flying time, at the approved one
engine inoperative cruise speed (under
standard conditions and in still air), from an
adequate airport. ETOPS regulations are
applicable to routes over water as well as
remote land areas.

EXTENDED RANGE
OPERATIONS

Extended Range Operations are those flights

conducted over a route that contains a point
farther than one hour flying time at one engine
inoperative cruise speed under standard
conditions in still air from an adequate airport.

The 60 Minute Restriction

Complicates Flight Operations

TWIN ENGINE OPERATIONS

The operations of twin engine airplanes are
governed by certain regulations to ensure that
in the event of one propulsion system failure,
or any primary airplane system failure, or a
combination of the above, the remaining
power (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic) will
continue to be available at levels necessary, to
permit continuation of safe flight and safe
landing at suitable airport.

RULES GOVERNING ETOPS

ICAO Annex 6, Section 4.7.1. Unless the
operation has been specifically approved by the
State of the Operator, an aeroplane with two turbine
power-units shall not be operated on a route where
the flight time at single engine cruise speed to an
adequate en-route alternate aerodrome exceeds a
threshold established by the State.

Attachment E of Annex 6 contains guidance

material and suggests 60 minutes be utilized as a
threshold.

RULES GOVERNING ETOPS

(Contd)
DGCA CAR, Section 2 - Airworthiness

Series O, Part-VIII. Operators of twinengined aircraft of AUW > 5,700 kgs cannot
operate an aircraft beyond 60 minutes on
single engine inoperative cruise speed. Any
operation beyond 60 mins will require prior
approval of DGCA and the segment of
operations beyond 60 mins will be termed as
Extended Twin Operations.

RELEVANT SECTIONS OF
AIR INDIA OPERATIONS
MANUAL
Chapter 4 : Extended Range Operations
(ETOPS/ER)
Chapter 7.6 : clearance of flights under
ETOPS Regulations.
Chapter 7.24 : ETOPS Minima
Part D Volume III (b) of Air India Ops
Manual is ETOPS Training Manual

RELEVANT SECTIONS OF
AICL OPS MANUAL
Chapter 4 : deals with ETOPS.
Chapter 7-2.4 & 7-9 : deal with the
ETOPS.
AICL ETOPS Training Manual : Contains
B737-800 ETOPS Training Manual.

ADEQUATE AIRPORT
An airport is considered "adequate" when it satisfies the
aircraft performance requirements applicable at the expected
landing weight. The local operational authorities must then
acknowledge it.
The following considerations should be met at the
expected time of use:
Availability of the airport,
Capability of ground operational assistance (ATC,
meteorological and air information services offices,
lighting etc.),
Availability of nav-aids such as ILS, VOR, NDB (at least
one let-down nav-aid must be available for an instrument
approach),
Airport category for rescue and fire fighting (ICAO Doc
9137-AN/898 Part 1).

ADEQUATE AIRPORT
(Contd)
The following criteria may also be considered:
Capability of technical assistance,
Capability of handling and catering (fuel, food,
etc.),
Ability to receive and accommodate the passengers.
Other particular requirements applicable to the
airlines.

SUITABLE AIRPORT
A suitable airport is an adequate airport
with weather reports, or forecasts, or any
combination thereof, indicating that the
weather conditions are at or above
operating minima, as specified in the
operation specifications and the field
condition reports indicate that a safe landing
can be accomplished at the time of the
intended operation.

SUITABLE AIRPORT
(Contd)
Available forecast should show the airport suitable for a period
commencing one hour before the earliest expected time of arrival
and ending one-hour after latest expected time of arrival. And
during this time the forecast cross wind component including
gusts for the landing runway expected to be used should be less
than the maximum permitted cross wind for landing.
As suitability of the airport is decided prior to departure and due
to the variability of weather with time, the enroute alternate
weather minima for despatch should be higher than the normal
landing minima.

DEFINITIONS
Diversion / En-route Alternate Airport :
A "diversion" airport, also called "en-route
alternate" airport, is an adequate / suitable
airport to which a diversion can be
accomplished.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
Maximum Diversion Time :
The
maximum diversion time (75, 90, 120 or
180 mins) from an enroute alternate airport.
It is granted by DGCA and is included in
Air Indias operating specifications. It is only
used for determining the area of operation, and
therefore is not an operational time limitation for
conducting a diversion, which has to cope with the
prevailing weather conditions.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
Maximum Diversion Distance :
It is
the distance covered in still air and ISA (or
delta ISA) conditions within the maximum
diversion time at the selected one-engineout diversion speed schedule and at the
associated cruise altitude (including the
descent from the initial cruise altitude to the
diversion cruise altitude). It is used for
dimensioning the area of operations.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
One-Engine-Out Diversion Speed : The
one-engine-out diversion speed is a
Mach/IAS speed combination where the
Mach is selected at the beginning of the
diversion descent down to the transition
point where the Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
takes over.

ONE ENGINE OUT DIVERSION SPEED AND

MAXIMUM DIVERSION DISTANCE

TAS at diversion flight level combined with maximum diversion

time allowed, provides the maximum diversion distance.
Agreed interpretation is to take benefit of descent (during which
TAS is higher than during diversion cruise ) to increase
maximum diversion distance - See FCOM Tables

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
ETOPS Area of Operation : The ETOPS
area of operation is the area in which it is
authorised to conduct a flight under ETOPS
regulations and is defined by the maximum
diversion distance from an adequate airport
or set of adequate airports. It is represented
by circles centred on the adequate airports,
the radius of which is the defined maximum
diversion distance.

D . A LT

E .A L T 1

ETP2
(C P )

D e s tin a tio n
E .A L T 2

EEP
D e p a rtu re

E
E
E
D

EP
TP
.A L T
.A L T

:
:
:
:

ETP 1

E T O P S E n tr y P o in t
E q u it im e P o in t
E n -r o u te A lte r n a te A ir p o rt
D e s t in a tio n A lt e r n a t e

A r e a o f O p e r a t io n

ETO PS Segm ent

6 0 m in u te c ir c le s
M a x im u m d iv e r s io n t im e c ir c le s
U n a u th o r is e d a r e a

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
ETOPS Entry Point (EEP) : The ETOPS
Entry Point is the point located on the
aircraft's outbound route at one hour flying
time, at the selected one-engine-out
diversion speed schedule (in still air and
ISA conditions), from the last adequate
airport prior to entering the ETOPS
segment. It marks the beginning of the
ETOPS segment.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
ETOPS Segment : The ETOPS segment
starts at the EEP and finishes when the route
is back and remains within the 60-minute area
from an adequate airport. An ETOPS route
can contain several successive ETOPS
segments well separated from each other.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
ETOPS Exit Point (EXP) : The point
located on the aircrafts route, where the
aircraft has been flying in an ETOPS segment,
it enters an area of one hour flying time, at the
selected one-engine out diversion speed
schedule (in still air and ISA condition), to an
adequate airport. It marks the end of that
particular ETOPS segment.

DEFINITIONS (Contd)
Equi-time Point (ETP): A point on the
aircraft route which is located at the same
flying time from two suitable diversion
airports.
Critical Point (CP) :
The Critical Point is
the point on the route, which is critical with
regard to the ETOPS fuel requirements, if a
diversion has to be initiated from that point.

ETOPS APPROVAL
ICAO Annex 6, Section 4.7.2 specifies that the
regulatory authority must ensure that the overall
level of safety is met with respect to:

Airworthiness type certification;

Reliability of propulsion systems;
Operators maintenance procedure;
Operating practices;
Flight despatch procedures;
Crew training programmes.

ETOPS APPROVAL
(Contd)
ETOPS is a Two Step Process
1) Manufacturer must get Type Design
Approval for the airframe / engine
combination.
2) Airline operators must get Operational
Approval to fly ETOPS.
The approval, however, is not automatic.

ETOPS MINIMUMS
A Suitable Airport must have forecast weather equal to or
better than the higher of the following conditions :
Two or more separate precision approach runways
400 ft ceiling + 1600 mtrs visibility or
200 ft ceiling + 800 mtrs visibility above minima *

Single precision approach runway

600 ft ceiling + 3200 mtrs visibility or
400 ft ceiling + 1600 mtrs visibility above minima *

Non Precision approach

800 ft ceiling + 3200 mtrs visibility or
400 ft ceiling + 1600 mtrs visibility above minima *
*Lowest authorized landing minima for the approach
NOTE: However, in the event of an actual diversion, normal landing minima
given in the Jeppesen weather minima section will be the deciding factor.

ETOPS DESPATCH WEATHER MINIMA

DIVERSION STRATEGIES
STANDARD STRATEGY
OBSTACLE CLEARANCE STRATEGY
FIXED SPEED STRATEGY

EFFECT OF SINGLE ENGINE SPEED

SELECTION ON THE ETOPS AREA
OF OPERATION

ETOPS FUEL
REQUIREMENTS
Determine both, a standard and an ETOPS
fuel plan. The higher of the two shall be the
minimum required fuel for the flight.
As per AI policy, consider the latest updated
aircraft performance factor for correct fuel
planning.

STANDARD FUEL PLANNING - NON ETOPS

OPERATIONS

ETOPS FUEL PLANNING

For ETOPS operations, a specific ETOPS fuel
planning - also called Critical Fuel Reserves in the
regulations - should be established.
The ETOPS fuel planning is split into two parts :
a standard fuel scenario from the departure airport to the
Critical Point (CP)
critical fuel scenario from the CP to the diversion airport.
The ETOPS critical fuel scenario is based on the separate
study of two failure cases, occurring at the critical point,
with their respective diversion profiles.

CRITICAL FUEL SCENARIO

This scenario is based on a failure case
occurring at CP & requiring a diversion.
This point is called critical because in
terms of fuel planning, a diversion at this
point is least desirable.

CRITICAL FUEL SCENARIO

(Contd)
The diversion profile is defined as :
descent at a predetermined speed strategy (at MMo / VMo,
with speedbrakes extended) to the required diversion FL,
Diversion cruise at the predetermined speed (LRC for
pressurisation failure & approved one engine out speed for
engine failure/pressurisation failure combination),
normal descent down to 1500 ft above the (enroute)
alternate airport,
15 min holding at this altitude,
First approach (IFR) & go-around,
Second approach (VFR) & landing.

FLIGHT PROFILE : PRESSURISATION FAILURE

FLIGHT PROFILE
ENGINE FAILURE AND DEPRESSURISATION

FUEL RESERVES
- fuel burn-off from the CP to the (enroute) alternate
airport (1500 ft overhead the airport),
- 15 minutes holding at 1500 ft,
- first (IFR) approach/Go-Around / second (VFR)
approach,
- 5% of the above fuel burn-off, as contingency fuel,
- 5% fuel mileage penalty or a demonstrated
performance factor,
- effect of any CDL and /or MEL item,
- effect of icing conditions being forecast.

FUEL RESERVES (Contd)

Non-mandatory
fuel
provisions
(recommended by AI):
effect of a demonstrated performance factor for
all standard and ETOPS fuel requirement
computations,
carriage of 2 - 3% contingency fuel from the
departure to the CP, as dictated by the specific
aspects of the route or AIs fuel policy, when
computing the ETOPS critical fuel planning.

FLIGHT CREW PREPARATION

All flight crew must be familiar with
AI policy on ETOPS as given in Ops Manual,
ETOPS Training Manual,
Procedures published in FCOM. (Cross reference
tables have been short listed in the ETOPS Training
Manual Flight Crew Procedures).

FLIGHT CREW PREPARATION

(Contd)
The following must be reviewed with the flight despatcher:
NOTAMs for departure, destination, destination
alternate and ETOPS en-route alternate airports,
Met
Met forecast and reports for the above airports,
Enroute wind and temp forecast at cruising level and at FL 100,
Ensure en-route alternate suitability as given below:
ETOPS weather minimums as per ETOPS alternates and Minima list
Ensure period of validity
Earliest ETA minus 1 hour
Latest ETA plus 1 hour

FLIGHT CREW PREPARATION

(Contd)
ATC flight plan (enroute ETOPS Alternate to be
specified),
Computerised Flight Plan
Any particular diversion strategy specific to the route
(minimum time, obstacle clearance, next best route or
flight levels etc.),
Navigation and plotting charts with ETOPS relevant
information,
Any other documents as per Air India practices.

FLIGHT CREW PREPARATION

(Contd)
Flight crew should note that there are additional
MEL restrictions for ETOPS Operations (PIC
has the authority to refuse ETOPS sector based
on MEL).

ADDITIONAL PROCEDURS
Cockpit Preparation
Additional system / critical systems checks
FMS Preparation (Contd)
Recommended that FMS check is carried out
by both the crew members.
Particular attention be given to wpts that are
not defined in the FMS data base.

AFTER ENGINE START PROCEDURES

In case of additional failures at this stage, not covered
earlier in MEL entries, proceed as per companys policy. At
this point MEL ETOPS restrictions must be observed.
As soon as the aircraft starts moving under its own thrust,
the flight is considered to have commenced. This means
that the MEL does not apply any longer. However, the
decision to depart with a failure condition is left to the PIC,
who may decide for operational or even economical
reasons to repair the aircraft at the departure airport.
NOTE. For an ETOPS flight, as for a normal flight, the MEL
does not apply once the aircraft is airborne

IN-FLIGHT ETOPS
PROCEDURES
General:
Maintain awareness of any system failure and
its impact on ETOPS sector.
Monitor fuel with critical fuel scenario in mind.
For ETOPS flight, as for normal flight, Nonnormal procedures are performed using the
standard non-normal checklist.

IN-FLIGHT ETOPS
PROCEDURES (Contd)
Weather Update
Before ETOPS Entry Point (EEP)
Obtain weather forecasts & reports for en-route
alternates. Forecasts at ETAs at alternate airports
must be higher than the normal minima. (ETOPS
dispatch minima do not apply when airborne. If
weather forecasts are lower than the normal minima
then re-routing or a turn-back is required if no route at
the authorised distance from an enroute alternate
airport can be used).

IN-FLIGHT ETOPS
PROCEDURES (Contd)
Weather Update (Contd)
After ETOPS Entry Point (EEP)
Continue to update on weather forecasts and
reports for ETOPS en-route alternates. No
requirement to modify the normal course of
flight if weather degrades below normal
minima. As per normal flight, continue to
update yourself on weather at destination and
destination alternate.

IN-FLIGHT ETOPS
PROCEDURES (Contd)
FUEL MONITORING : Procedure remains same as for
normal flight, even though ETOPS fuel planning is the
limiting factor.
Note : If the estimated FOB at the CP is lower than the fuel
required by the critical fuel scenario, there is no
requirement to make a diversion, provided the estimated
fuel at destination is above the minimum required to divert
to the destination alternate. However, if the CP is
regularly overflown with a FOB lower than the fuel
required by the critical fuel scenario, the appropriate
corrective actions need to be taken.

IN-FLIGHT ETOPS
PROCEDURES (Contd)
SPECIAL ETOPS REQUIREMENTS : It
is the PIC's responsibility not to accept an
ATC clearance that would take the airplane
outside the approved diversion time or
diversion distance.

INFLIGHT DIVERSION
Conducting a Diversion : Irrespective of
one-engine inoperative speed schedule
assumed in the determination of the area of
operation, the crew is free to adopt the strategy
considered most appropriate after assessing the
overall situation. (It means that in conducting
the diversion, the application of the preplanned speed strategy is not mandatory).

INFLIGHT DIVERSION (Contd)

The use of these strategies is at the discretion of the
crew. As a guideline, the considerations are as
follows:
Standard strategy will give the best fuel burn-off but
diversion time required is maximum.
Obstacle strategy should be used until clear of all
obstacles.
In Fixed Speed Strategy, time and fuel required will
depend upon the selected speed under prevailing
conditions.

ETOPS
(AS SEEN BY PASSENGERS)

Engines
Turn
Or
Passengers
Swim

THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION !