Minimum distance to alternate aerodrome?

[flyinGuppy]

Hello!

I was in a discussion about suitable alternate aerodromes, and someone suggested that an aerodrome that is less than 50 miles from your destination aerodrome cannot be selected as an alternate in your flight plan.
At first I thought this made sense, as the weather isn't going to be that different nearby, but then I tried to find a confirmation of this in annex 6 and JAR OPS and could not find it.
Meanwhile I still was told that, for example, LPPS can't be planed as an official alternate to LPMA as they are to close, but after arriving there, if a landing it's not possible at LPMA you could go to LPPS if its suitable, you just can plan it for dispatch.
Can anyone confirm this rule?
I'm guessing it's a miss interpretation of operating minima required, and normally 2 nearby aerodromes would have the same bad forecast thus making them unsuitable as alternates.
Tanks for your attention
Rui Medeiros

[Buzzz]

Hello,

There is no standard minimum distance for the alternate, unless specified in your SOPS.

There may be local regulations in force that forbid certain alternates being used (for example there was a time when UUEE could not be used as an alternate for UUWW)

You can of course select primary secondary and tertiary aerodromes should weather be of concern, although your flight planning system may only consider the fuel burn to the primary alternate, in which case the furthest away should be selected as the primary.

Cheers,

Buzzz

[merlinxx]

Always select 2 Dest Alts with min airborne dist 50 miles. EGKK to EGLL is a min 75 miles airborne.

Beware some CFP systems use min time dct track to alt, so always bias dist for realistic airborne dist:ok:

[no sig]

Company flight planning policy will often come into play here and you can probably find it your ops manual somewhere. I have worked with both 50 nms dist. minimum- and in one airline, we had a 100nms minimum ALTN dist. fuel poicy, even if the alternate was closer.

Clearly, the application of company policy and good planning (ie. what's the weather, approach aids etc.) come into the equation.

[flyinGuppy]

Tanks, I forgot it could be a SOP's thing!
Rui

[JB007]

We had LPPS as our alternate for LPMA yesterday!

Check your company Fuel Policy too - the listed JAR requirements for what Alternate Fuel should include doesn't include a distance restriction.