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Old 6th October 2004 | 10:56
  #44 (permalink)  
panda-k-bear
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Canadia, the French bit
Wouldn't it be great if it was all so black and white.

A couple of points - ETOPS - Extended Range TWIN-engined Operations. The A380 is a quad. therefore is exempt from TWIN rules. Let's drop the ETOPS rubbish now - it doesn't apply to a quad. That means the A380 can divert wherever the hell it likes - not directly to the nearest ETOPS airport.

Second - consider this. A twin has to be able to take off using one engine. That means each engine is overpowered for normal operations by at least a factor of 2. What impact does that have on (a) fuel burn and (b) maintenance costs? A quad has to get up on 3 engines, so has a much smaller level of required exceedance for each engine. There is, of course, a penalty in fuel burn and maintenance cost. What's better - 2 massive engines or 4 smaller ones?

So Focal, you reckon that anyone operating a quad is an idiot as well, then, do you? Twins have their place, as do quads - let's just face it. Want to be free of ETOPS constraints? A quad is your only option.

Personally I'm happy to trudge the Northe Atlantic in a twin. Am I as happy to go over the Pole? No I am not!
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