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ETOPS to EDTO
First, a little background as to what EDTO is and how it came to be:
EDTO is any operation by an aeroplane with two or more turbine engines where the diversion time to an en-route alternate aerodrome is greater than the threshold time established by the State of the Operator. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), through Amendment 36 to Annex 6, Part I, decided to replace the previously used term ETOPS (extended range operations by twin-engine aeroplanes) with the new term EDTO (extended diversion time operations). The main reason for this change in the terminology was to better reflect the scope and applicability of these new Standards, Flight Planning, and Fuel Management. While the term has been replaced by ICAO, the name change is not mandated in State regulations or aircraft documentation. Therefore, you’ll notice ‘ETOPS’ may still be used.
Enabling EDTO
EDTO considers both the authorized (ICAO refers to as threshold time) and certified (ICAO refers to as maximum diversion time) times for an aircraft as approved by the State of the operator. These time thresholds, along with preference in Decompression profile, are aircraft settings that should be reviewed for all aircraft within the tail profile before computing an EDTO plan. If you don’t have access to the Tail profile to review, this data is also displayed within the EDTO section, when building a flight plan.
Suitable Airport Suggestions and Exclusions
The EDTO calculation automatically selects suitable alternates when a route is selected. Suitable airports are validated against time of flight and several factors including weather conditions, airport/runway/approach thresholds, and airport operating hours. Excluding one (or more) of these suggestions is also possible if the automation provides an alternate you do not prefer or cannot use.
EDTO Calculation data representation
The EDTO calculation allows for vital diversion information to be available both on the map and within the operational flight plan:
- EENTR (EDTO entry point) and EEXIT (EDTO exit point)
- Most fuel critical scenario
- Authorized and Certified time range rings (map)
EDTO Applicability
EDTO is typically only required for commercial operations as private operators are not bound by these requirements. For US charter operations (Part 135), aircraft are authorized to 180 minutes from an adequate airport and rarely certified higher. For European commercial operators, aircraft are typically authorized to 120 minutes from an adequate airport and certified to 180 minutes. Operators should check with their governing State to determine if their operations require EDTO compliance.
What’s next for EDTO
Future enhancements to EDTO include offering the ability to allow you to enter your choice of alternate airports after reviewing the system suggested airports and to enter a specific hold time at diversion airport. We’ll also be researching the inclusion of terrain clearance and escape routes.
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