News
Hawker Beechcraft announces ETOPS exemption
Oct. 11, 2011, Las Vegas, Nv. - Hawker Beechcraft Corporation today announced that it will petition the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow FAR Part 135 charter operators of Hawker 800XP, 800XPR, 850XP and 900XP models to conduct extended over-water operations such as San Francisco to Hawaii, without requiring the agency’s Extended Twin-Engine Operations Standards (ETOPS) approval.
October 11, 2011 By Carey Fredericks
ETOPS is an internationally recognized standard which permits twin-engine business jet aircraft to fly routes that are up to 180 minutes flying time from the nearest airport. Based upon a series of extensive testing, Hawker Beechcraft believes the aircraft has the capability of traveling the required distance within the allotted time.
“This extension of the Hawker jets’ performance profile in an engine-out situation is not only the result of comprehensive testing but a testimony to the proven reliability and robust systems of the Hawker fleet,” said Shawn Vick, HBC executive vice president. “The freedom to operate for even longer periods over water broadens the list of available destinations for these aircraft and provides operators, especially charter companies, with a significant number of additional revenue-generating options.”
Granting of an ETOPS exemption by the FAA will require a revision to the Pilot Operating Manuals (POMs) of the various Hawker models. HBC’s analysis determined that the Hawker models are capable of traveling half the distance between specified departure and destination airports in 180 minutes after the loss of power in one engine. At the point of power loss, Operating Manual procedures call for the aircraft to descend using a high-speed drift down procedure to the most favorable altitude and proceed to the nearest airport.
The profile defined by the analysis will support several over-water missions currently desired by Hawker Part 135 operators. Hawker Beechcraft expects the exemption to be granted and POM revisions available in early 2012.
