Andes Crossing

[BOMB-DOCTOR]

Hi all,

I am flying a 767 in the next couple of months over the Andes from Montevideo to Easter Island, possibly tech stop in Santiago. Just doing some research into the route, atc and wx etc.

Having not operated there before, I am looking for advice / operational briefs etc on route selections turb contingencies etc etc from pilots with previous experience.

Many thanks

Dom http://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[Consol]

Re Andes, check your O2 is good for remaining at MSA/MOCA for an extended time.
Re Easter Island, a system of closing the route after you or any other inbound aircraft has passed it's PNR applies. Be sure to comply with this.

[cosmiccomet]

If you are crossing the Andes through the postion UMKAL or ASIMO with a 12 minutes O2 endurance in case of depressurization you should not have problems.
You should also check the escape route in case of engine failure/depressurization for the Andes crossing. As you can check in any navigation chart the Grid Mora is around 20300 to 25200 ft.

Another item to check is the weather. During summer there are big CBs over the montains and you should also take into consideration the deroutes because you could be out of the safety area of the descent profile in case of engine failure/depresuration.
Turbulence is another factor, montain wave could be very strong.
If the difference between the QNH at Mendoza SAME and Santiago de Chile SCEL is more than 10 Hpa and the wind at FL260 in UMKAL is over 80 kts, those are indicators of montain wave and turbulence during the crossing.

[Glonass]

Your safest bet, considering, as you say, your lack of experience and information regarding the Andes, is to cross over ANKON, where peaks are relatively lower and orographic turbulence less likely.