Originally Posted by
Centaurus
[QUOTE[color=left=#000000]But you are still required to ensure that you can avoid all obstacles OEI hence you must have a contingency based on an obstacle analysis and your engine out performance]
Regardless of what operator you work for, you would be wise to talk to the performance engineers who designed the runway analysis chart. In particular find out to what distance from lift off is the chart valid. I once worked for a European charter operator flying 737 Classics.
The runway analysis stated an immediate left turn required after take off due to close in terrain. It was a small Greek island. Acceleration height was 800 ft and the given track was over the sea. To my surprise there was another island dead on track about 12 miles from the departure airport with significant terrain and which we would have hit if IMC while accelerating.
On return to base I told the performance engineers about the presence of this island on the escape path. The reply was that the surveyed path stopped five miles on the escape path
because of the terrain ahead. And it was up to the pilot to arrange his own safe flight path after that.
This information was not in the company route manual. I found this situation to be most disturbing as I am sure pilots of that airline had no idea that beyond five miles on the company published escape path the pilot was on his own. In VFR conditions that might be OK but not in IMC or night.
Many operators outsource their takeoff performance information to a third party provider. That being so, it is vital from the flight safety point of view to be aware how far the surveyed chart is valid for. You could be left in the lurch if you assume all runway analysis give you safe terrain clearance until MSA in IMC[/QUOTE]
That is awful. A performance department applying FAR 121.189 and 121.191 can't pull that cr*p.