3 ms·

Nope. ETOPS allows planes to operate up to 180 minutes away from an emergency landing field, almost 10x the world-record glide distance quoted in this article.

zeusk 10y ago
Thanks for getting technical; Multi-engine failures on a twin engine aircraft are the rarest of the rare events and so far there have been less than a handful such events in record and as such, in my comment I assumed that gliding would imply a single engine failure as is implied by ETOPS which you failed to note. The quoted flight as a result of a massive fuel leak and ignorance on the captain's part to notice fuel imbalance led to dual engine failure. Also, ETOPS itself has multiple ratings and the A330-200 (in the quoted flight) was certified for ETOPS120 or 120 minutes away from an emergency field on the flight plan and not 180. The new 300+ series rated with ETOPS180 and beyond have a higher composite content to reduce weight and perhaps more fuel efficient engines (ETOPS implies single engine failure). Source: I have a PPL and over 2500 hours in FS.
- gcp 10y ago
  in my comment I assumed that gliding would imply a single engine failure This assumption is the problem and grandparent was very correct to point out the obvious misunderstanding that would result. Maybe this is the typical wording used by pilots, but to laymen gliding means something else.
  - zeusk 10y ago
    This being a post about airliners crossing oceans, and ETOPS being thrown about - you'd expect people would know. Without any power, airliners can't really glide much. Of the few cases of all-out engine failures, even fewer make it safely to land or water - most of which that did were at their cruising altitude at the time of failure. With only memorable exception being the hudson river ditch. In-fact, during the landing or take-off, even a single engine failure can catch the crew off guard and is among the worst case scenarios pilots are "trained" for.
    - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
      Without any power, airliners can't really glide much. ... most of which that did were at their cruising altitude at the time of failure One great success story was, of course, the Gimli Glider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider

zeusk 10y ago

Thanks for getting technical; Multi-engine failures on a twin engine aircraft are the rarest of the rare events and so far there have been less than a handful such events in record and as such, in my comment I assumed that gliding would imply a single engine failure as is implied by ETOPS which you failed to note. The quoted flight as a result of a massive fuel leak and ignorance on the captain's part to notice fuel imbalance led to dual engine failure. Also, ETOPS itself has multiple ratings and the A330-200 (in the quoted flight) was certified for ETOPS120 or 120 minutes away from an emergency field on the flight plan and not 180. The new 300+ series rated with ETOPS180 and beyond have a higher composite content to reduce weight and perhaps more fuel efficient engines (ETOPS implies single engine failure). Source: I have a PPL and over 2500 hours in FS.

gcp 10y ago
in my comment I assumed that gliding would imply a single engine failure This assumption is the problem and grandparent was very correct to point out the obvious misunderstanding that would result. Maybe this is the typical wording used by pilots, but to laymen gliding means something else.
- zeusk 10y ago
  This being a post about airliners crossing oceans, and ETOPS being thrown about - you'd expect people would know. Without any power, airliners can't really glide much. Of the few cases of all-out engine failures, even fewer make it safely to land or water - most of which that did were at their cruising altitude at the time of failure. With only memorable exception being the hudson river ditch. In-fact, during the landing or take-off, even a single engine failure can catch the crew off guard and is among the worst case scenarios pilots are "trained" for.
  - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
    Without any power, airliners can't really glide much. ... most of which that did were at their cruising altitude at the time of failure One great success story was, of course, the Gimli Glider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider