ETOPS vs High Terrain
 

Hi,

Just a quick question: how does your airline go about the ETOPS requirements vs terrain avoidance? For instance, if you are on a west-bound flight to let's say YVR, and your ETP between BIKF and CYYQ is a few hundred miles west of Greenland... What if you get a decompression and engine failure (DX) after you have passed Greenland, but well before the ETP? Does your company cater for extra fuel to circumnavigate the terrain? Do you have dispatch procedures that cater for ETOPS and high terrain?

Thanks in advance, best regards.

Yes, most SOPs will have sufficient fuel for the most critical ETP, taking into account the possibility of an engine failure, or an engine failure AND depress.

Escape routes are published at the end of our flight plans if required (if minimum off route altitudes along the route exceed 10,000 ft MSL). Minimum fuel requirements are based on the worst case scenario of single engine or decompression. A takeoff weight reduction may be applied in lieu of the escape route requirement. I'm not sure if this covers what you are asking regarding between or before ETP scenarios, but yes, it would seem that worst case fuel would include circumnavigating the terrain via an escape route.