Nearest suitable airport on ICN-SFO or TPE-LAX?

[RTW_Uldall]

Just wondering - The 777 is certified to fly anywhere world wide, and several routes flying Pacific from Asia to North America are with this 2 engine aircraft type.

What would be "nearest suitable airport" in case unscheduled stopover is required on route ICN-SFO-ICN or TPE-LAX-TPE being in a SQ Talk forum.

BTW - Which commercial air route would be longest distance from "nearest suitable airport - I believe AKT to North America, but might be wrong.....

[SINFJ]

Just wondering - The 777 is certified to fly anywhere world wide, and several routes flying Pacific from Asia to North America are with this 2 engine aircraft type.

What would be "nearest suitable airport" in case unscheduled stopover is required on route ICN-SFO-ICN or TPE-LAX-TPE being in a SQ Talk forum.

BTW - Which commercial air route would be longest distance from "nearest suitable airport - I believe AKT to North America, but might be wrong.....

i believe they would use Honululu or Guiam

[TerryK]

.....What would be "nearest suitable airport" in case unscheduled stopover is required on route ICN-SFO-ICN or TPE-LAX-TPE being in a SQ Talk forum.

BTW - Which commercial air route would be longest distance from "nearest suitable airport - I believe AKT to North America, but might be wrong.....

I don't know the answer, but HNL or GUM will be a good guess for TPE-LAX-TPE. It could also be a suitable military airfield.

[lee_apromise]

As for ICN-SFO-ICN, Sakhalinsk, some airports in Kamchaka peninsula, airports in Hokkaido, vladivostok, and anchorage come to my mind.

[taipeiflyer]

anchorage, as the flight path goes over the north pole.

[MegatopLover]

I've heard this, but don't know if it's true:

Midway Island or a nearby island has a field that is maintained by Boeing specifically for purposes of plugging a hole in the ETOPS coverage over the northern Pacific.

[jhm]

Midway Island or a nearby island has a field that is maintained by Boeing specifically for purposes of plugging a hole in the ETOPS coverage over the northern Pacific.

http://gc.kls2.com/faq.html#$etops

240- (and 207-) minute rule-times for ETOPS?! I thought 180 minutes was the highest.

Boeing's 777 was the first airliner designed with ETOPS in mind from its inception, including systems to support single-engine operations for considerably longer than 180 minutes. While proposals to extend ETOPS to a 240-minute rule-time haven't met with much success, an interim proposal for 207 minutes (180 minutes plus 15%, similar to the 138 minute rule-time) has been adopted, primarily as an exception for 180-minute routes when key alternate airports are unavailable due to weather.

Longer ETOPS rule-times would also allow closure of alternate airports along routes which currently can be served under less stringent ETOPS rules, such as Midway Island (MDY), which is currently subsidized in part by Boeing to provide an ETOPS alternate. This fact has pilots concerned since it affects all planes, not just twins. They note that even if all engines are still running (and at this point twins aren't significantly more likely to divert due to engine failure than aircraft with three or more engines), a four-hour diversion due to a fire or a medical emergency or any one of a number of other problems is an awfully long time.

(See AW&ST, 30 November 1998, pp. 50-51.)

[RTW_Uldall]

http://gc.kls2.com/faq.html#$etops

Thanks - Very useful information.

During last visit in Auckland, I observed arrival of AR from EZE to AKL, however operating a 340-300, which did raise some question about 2 or 4 engine aircraft type operating long distance over water. I do not believe any 777 are operating this sector between South America and NZ/AU ?

I any case I would prefer a 747 crossing the Pacific in any direction ;-)

[SQflyergirl]

I'm not sure with ETOPS 240, but even with ETOPS 207 there are still some exclusion zones on this planet (none of which concern SQ, as IIRC, those exclusion zones are pockets in the SOPAC.

Anyway, ETOPS's days are numbered.

[jhm]

Anyway, ETOPS's days are numbered.

OK - I'll bite ... what do you mean ?

[SQflyergirl]

OK - I'll bite ... what do you mean ?

To be replaced with LROPS in the near future.

[SQFAN]

As for ICN-SFO-ICN, Sakhalinsk, some airports in Kamchaka peninsula, airports in Hokkaido, vladivostok, and anchorage come to my mind.

Sakhalin? IIRC, that's a naval base there.

[MegatopLover]

Nice to know I was hearing good information.

The big remaining hole in 180-minute ETOPS coverage is indeed over the Pacific, basically southwest of Mexico. It came up in a discussion of whether Delta's coming B777-200LR's could operate ATL-SYD nonstop. That route goes right through the coverage hole, so a longer certified ETOPS rating is needed for the route. I think a JFK-SYD nonstop would go through the same hole.

[lee_apromise]

Sakhalin? IIRC, that's a naval base there.

OZ uses its A321s from ICN to Sakhalin. Even a Russian airline called "SAT" which is based in Sakhalin comes to ICN as well with IL62 or B732.