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Either can produce significant cost benefits for the airline in operating
the flight.
It is critical to the calculation, therefore, to choose a redispatch fix that
minimises the contingency fuel element of the fuel plan. The optimal
flight plan places the redispatch fix in a location where the contingency
fuels for the two scenarios are exactly equal; moving it in either direc-
tion increases the fuel required for one scenario or the other.
The flight plan filed with ATC only nominates the planned destination.
The ATC of the flight information region containing the redispatch fix
will normally be unaware that redispatching is occurring.
The operational flight plan has therefore to include the re-release route
from the redispatch fix to the planned destination. Short release desti-
nation airports also require destination alternate routes to be planned.
ETOPS (Extended Range) Operations
Extended Range Operations (ETOPS) was originally an ICAO Standard
and Rec-ommended Practice (SARP) and has been defined as “extended
twin-engine operations”.
It has been established to permit two-engine airplanes it to fly routes
that, at some points, are further than a distance of 60 minutes flying
time (I.e. Threshold time) from a diversion airport.
Current regulations have redefined the acronym ETOPS to mean “ex-
tended operations”. It is applicable to:
• all two-engine airplanes more than 60 minutes flying time from
an adequate airport at a one-engine-inoperative cruise speed
under standard conditions in still air.
• all passenger-carrying airplanes with more than two engines and
more than 180 minutes flying time from an adequate airport at
a one-engine-inoperative cruise speed under standard condi-
tions in still air.
• Cargo airplanes with more than two engines may be dispatched
without ETOPS limitations.