GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Manufacturers, operators and suppliers have until mid-January to comment on proposal
The US Federal Aviation Administration is proposing that rigorous design and service principles developed for extended-range twin operations (ETOPS) be expanded to include all long-range trijet and four-engined commercial airliner flights, and that future limits could be extended up to and beyond 240min.
Manufacturers, operators and suppliers have until mid-January to comment on the long-awaited FAA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which, if issued next year, could become the first formal regulation covering extended-range operations. Since ETOPS services began in the mid-1980s operations have been governed by FAA advisory circulars only. In going beyond standard twin-engined ETOPS to embrace the European Joint Aviation Authorities' long-range operations, the new ruling is shifting towards a new understanding of ETOPS as simply "extended operations".
The NPRM also takes in the bulk of recommendations of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Council (ARAC) on ETOPS, and reflects many of the considerations of the JAA. However, the potential for disagreement remains high, and the first NPRM review is expected to be scrutinised by the JAA operations steering team during the week starting 17 November.
"Our hope is we will be able to have a very harmonised approach on both sides of the Atlantic," says Boeing director of operational regulations Mohan Pandey, who participated with the FAA/JAA and ARAC meetings in the emerging proposals.
However, "dissenting comments" have been made, and Pandey adds that "even though in the case of ARAC we've had differences of opinion, we've all said we will live with it. So far we've not been able to get that level of consensus in the JAA."
Although the ruling is not likely to have a major impact on many operators, it could affect some types despite the multiple system redundancy already built-in to trijet and four-engined aircraft. In particular, the rule would require increased cargo fire protection and larger quantities of oil and other expendables.
The ETOPS rules would apply to Part 135 non-scheduled operators for the first time, and would extend coverage to 240min and beyond, with "route specific approval".
Although around 95% of the world's ETOPS air traffic routes are within 180min or less, ARAC has pushed for one-engine-inoperative flight time limits from suitable diversion airfields to be lifted to around 240min, with tighter requirements.
Source: Flight International
