Originally Posted by
MickG0105
It appears in the Boeing 777 FCTM, Chapter 8, Non-Normal Operations, Landing at the Nearest Suitable Airport; I suspect that most Boeing FCTMs contain a similar passage.
In some FCTMs there is a cross-reference to Supplemental Information along the lines of;
My bolding.
Learmonth does not meet ICAO Rescue and Fire Fighting Services Category 9 standards (as required for airplanes 61 m ≤ length < 76 m) and therefore fails the "adequate facilities" test as a suitable airport for an A330-300.
Fair enough.
I would suggest to you that Learmonth is approved by many large carriers as a full alternate, Suitable alternate or whatever title each airline uses, for a very long time. For example, it has been the No 1 Alternate for Perth for QF Boeing 747s since the 1970 s. If they can't use Learmonth (1.30 away) they have to use Adelaide(2.30+ away) with consquential penalties.
If each airline allows each individual pilot to determine what constitutes "suitable" then that is a very variable standard in my view.
I don't know, but my guess is that Learmonth is used by a number of A380 airlines as a full Alternate for Perth and ergo, if that particular airline considers it safe and appropriate for an A380 that just needs to fuel up, it would be considered safe and appropriate for an A330-300 with an engine shutdown and vibrating, lack of RFF notwithstanding.