ETOPS

[Xswqaz]

Hi I'm an aviation enthusiast And an avid flight simmer, And I'm always looking for new ways to make my flights more realistic. Here's my question. A ETOPS flight like Seattle to Honolulu how far away from land or close to the ocean would pilots start the APU?

[BOAC]

Company specific. Some leave running after start. Some at engine/gen fail. Others at ETOPS entry/ +x /+y /+z. take your pick Write your own Ops Manual?

[Mr @ Spotty M]

Most aircraft these days do not require the APU to be started for ETOPS sectors.

[unseen]

There are a lot of 737s that do require it

[rog747]

are you telling me an in-op APU is not on the MEL for any ETOPS departure?

if that IS the case then if you lose both over the sea how the hell do you get the main avionics/electrics going?
a RAT will power only bare minimum stuff...will get you down in a Boeing...

Sully started his APU as soon as he knew he lost both on climb out and that retained much of the avionics and inputs needed to do a controlled ditch.
if he had not got the APU on then the outcome may have been different.
that was an Airbus,

slightly different for some w/b Boeing's, as 767 for example as control is not fully electric so a RAT helps...
the AC 767 lost both (no fuel) so i guess no APU could be started, they had a RAT.

[Yeelep]

There are a lot of 737s that do require it

And some that don't.

[Mr @ Spotty M]

rog747

The question was when would you start the APU.
A fair number of a/c types do not require a serviceable APU for ETOPS despatch.
unseen The B737 is only one a/c type.

[rog747]

apologies i may have mis-read/INTERRUPTED the post, thanks for the replies,

THE OP states
ie when to start apu on etops...?

my response was surely an in-op APU is part of the MEL for ETOPS and you cannot depart without it serviceable prior to departure (it can fail later?)

but you state that you CAN depart with an APU u/s on various types now,
i am very surprised but my ETOPS exp ended in 1993 so am out of the latest loop!

thanks

[Wodrick]

And the 737 does ETOPS as an afterthought, not by design.

[rog747]

737 etops

i think transavia was the first ETOPS for 737?

astraeus did Halifax or St Johns i think with 737-700
was that ETOPS?

sterling used super caravelles (and -12's?) on over the pond flights...not sure
if that was sort of etops in an early form ?

[ZFT]

There are of course many ETOPS aircraft without APUs

[BOAC]

Originally Posted by Wodrick

And the 737 does ETOPS as an afterthought, not by design.

- I understand the NG 'leaves' the factory ETOPS capable.

astraeus did Halifax or St Johns i think with 737-700
was that ETOPS?

- both and yes. APU on whole flight.

[DTE]

Hi,

I actually flew that very sector on a B737 delivery flight from Seattle to Australia.

As previously highlighted, the APU operation is airline specific as I know the two airlines that I have flown for had differing policies. However, on the delivery flight I mentioned, the APU was left running after start and selected off within 400nm of Honolulu.

This flight to Australia was in a 737-800. The previous airline that I flew for, we operated ETOPS on 737-300s.

Cheers

Owen
Author: '50 Tales of Flight'

[Wodrick]

My point was that all earlier versions were not, except under specific conditions like delivery flights.

The later versions have been evolved for ETOPS. Aircraft like the A330 and the 777 were designed from the drawing board to be ETOPS capable.

[DTE]

...as an addendum, here is the view as we approached Honolulu at the end of the sector.



Cheers,

Owen