On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 19:17:24 -0400, "Paul Austin"
wrote:


"John R Weiss" wrote
Laurence Doering writes:

Modern airliners are required to have very good single engine
capability to operate on oceanic routes. Do a google search
for ETOPS

Actually, they are required to have 'one-engine-out' performance.
Three-engine
aircraft must do it on 2 good engines, and 4-engine aircraft must do
it on 3
good engines. ETOPS is only applicable to 2-engine airplanes.


That's what the "T" stands for and while any twin engined transport
can cruise on only one engine, to qualify for ETOPS certification, the
engines and installation have to demonstrate very high reliability.
The operator has to demonstrate effective maintenance operations as
well.. ETOPS certification allows a twin engine transport to operate a
designated number of minutes of single-engine flight from a divert
airfield. ETOPS originally was for 90 minutes flight to a divert
field, later extended to 120 minutes and now to 180 minutes. Without
ETOPS certification, a transport can fly no further than 60 minutes
from a divert airstrip. All these times refer to revenue service and
don't apply to ferry flights.


ETOPS = Engines Turn Or Passengers Swim

Ross "Roscoe" Dillon
USAF Flight Tester
(B-2, F-16, F-15, F-5, T-37, T-38, C-5, QF-106)