AC 120-42B ETOPS and Polar Ops - Code7700

AC 120-42B 6/13/08immediately. In all cases a particular alternate airport environment should drive the requirementsof the passenger recovery plan and the prioritization of concerns needing to be addressed.(6) Navigation. The applicant must show the availability of navigation facilitiesadequate for the operation, taking into account the navigation equipment installed on theairplane, the navigation accuracy required for the planned route and altitude of flight, and theroutes and altitudes to the airports designated as ETOPS alternates. Navigation facilities requiredto ensure a safe approach and landing must be available.NOTE: Non-terrestrial approaches, e.g., GPS/RNAV, may be utilized ifapproved in a certificate holder’s operating specifications.(7) Communications. The certificate holder must show the availability ofcommunications services and facilities for communication with ATC and the dispatch office.Certificate holders operating ETOPS routes must use the most reliable voice-basedcommunications technology available for communications between the flightcrew and air trafficservices, and the flightcrew and the certificate holder per § 121.99. For ETOPS routes furtherthan 180 minutes from adequate airports, a second communication system is required and mustbe able to provide immediate satellite-based voice communications of landline-telephonefideli ty. Rapid and reliable ATC communications are determined by the facilities operated byATC units in the areas of operations.NOTE: For ETOPS routes further than 180 minutes from adequate airports,only one of the two required communication systems must be SATCOM. Theintent of § 121.99 is for the crew to have available immediate satellite-basedvoice communication of landline-telephone fidelity. If an aircraft is alreadyequipped with a SATCOM system, the second communication system does notneed to be SATCOM.404. VALIDATION FLIGHT(S). Prior to granting ETOPS approval to a certificate holder foroperation of a specific airplane-engine combination in an authorized area of operation, the FAAwill require actual validation flights on proposed routes that the certificate holder intends tooperate within the ETOPS area of operations, designated in the operator’s approval request. Thisis to ensure that the ETOPS flight operations and maintenance programs described in Chapter 3are capable of supporting those operations. Depending on the certificate holder’s level ofexperience in conducting ETOPS and the routes intended to be used in operations, the FAA willdetermine the number of validation flights required, the manner in which validation flights maybe conducted (revenue with passengers, non-revenue, or cargo only), and any other itemsrequiring validation. If approval is granted to fly the validation flight in revenue service, theoperator should be granted appropriate, though temporary or restricted, OpSpecs covering thenecessary flight(s). At the successful conclusion of the validation, the CHDO should coordinatewith the Director, Flight Standards, amendment and issuance of unrestricted OpSpecs. Certificateholders operating passenger-carrying airplanes with more than two engines who, on the effectivedate of this AC, have the authority to operate on specific non-ETOPS routes that under the newdefinition are classified as ETOPS routes, may not be required to conduct an actual validationflight. If the certificate holder can adequately validate that the necessary additional ETOPSprocesses and procedures are in place, and that they can function appropriately, may be validatedPage 42 Par 403