Escape routes and Airtaxi ops

[gigi116]

I have been just employed into Airtaxi operations. Due to the fact that here all flights are scheduled in few hours and airports changes day by day , there is a BIG safety problem :

- There are no pubblished procedures regarding ESCAPE ROUTES to follow with an Engine failure.

I heard some "tricks" used like :

-take off in VMC only,
-use of GA procedure for that runway
-follow the SID if gradient is respected.

but in my opinion none of above , respect the legal requirements.

I would like to know your opinions as I want to develop a safe procedure.

thanks

[SNS3Guppy]

Escape routes, pink pages, and the link, are more of an airline thing, and an airline mentality.

You didn't indicate what it is that you're flying in your air taxi or charter operation, but if it's not a Part 25 transport category airplane, you don't have any "gauranteed" performance with an engine failure anyway...so the thinking needs to be a little different.

I like to start with the water principle. You might be able to outclimb terrain and obstacles. You might not. Don't count on it. Always count on an engine failure. It may not happen to you in the next ten years...or it might. However, plan for it just the same. Make all your takeoff plans with this in mind.

You probably don't have the benifit of anybody to do a runway analysis, and no, you won't have any escape procedures. Know your terrain, know your aircraft performance, calculate everything before you go, and make decisions based on real world performance. All too often an air taxi employer will say that you don't need to make this particular climb gradient because you aren't transport cateogry, or you needn't worry about second segment climb because it's not applicable to your airplane. While this may technically be true, it becomes VERY applicable at the time you eperience that power loss or engine failure...so don't ever let anyone talk you into doing something you're not certain the aircraft can do, and can do safely.

The obstacle departure procedure should be flown, but know in advance if you can do it. Remember that water flows down hill and so do you. Know our options if you aren't climbing or can't climb; know where you'll go.

Years ago I had a discussion about that at Aspen, Colorado. An individual wanted to know how I was going to outclimb the terrain with an engine failure. I wasn't. That was never in the cards. but I knew where to go to get to lower terrain; it was the same direction the water flowed, and the same direction I intended to go,and I've flown that route before just to be sure I could do it. Know before you go.

You don't have escape or turn procedures given to you, so it's all on you. Know your capabilities and those of the airplane, and act accordingly.

[GlueBall]

It's mostly a common sense procedure. Study your SIDS [and STARS] and you'll know at what altitudes you should be relative to the depicted terrain. If you can't make the altitude profiles, just circle tight and "stay" where you are. Burn off [or dump] the fuel, then climb to MSA on the remaining engine(s). In a bizjet you'll need a lot less real estate to maneuver than you would need in a heavy transport category jet.

[ATPMBA]

What kind of terrain are you flying over? Do you have any SE climb performance where you are flying?

From others I have learned, study a VFR chart of where you are going so you have a "lay of the land" for obstacles and terrain. Be careful of high winds aloft on approaches as they can blow you beyond the 10nm circle as Lear Crew made that mistake several years ago in the NE USA and ended up in CFIT. But they only made that mistake once!!!

A retired Eastern Airlines Captain who ended up flight instructing told me he had higher personal minimums for IFR twin flying than SE.
A FAA guy told me that you can't do a a SE ILS in a twin and execute a missed approach, he said you'll spin it in. I never practiced it so I'm not sure if it's entirely true but I believe there's some merit to it as it ties in with Eastern Airlines Captain.

Always leave yourself a way out.

[oligoe]

When I was flying light twins, I use to take the circling MDA as an initial safe altitude where I could safely turn downwind and continu climbing. They are usually low enough to be reached very early.

Fly safe,

og

[BOAC]

I use to take the circling MDA as an initial safe altitude where I could safely turn downwind-gigi - should you be flying anywhere under TERPS, be aware that the manouevring space you have for this is not much!

[NSC]

atlaswinplan, google it and set up account, gets you all your irt's

cheers

vincent