Proposed amendment to Part 121 MOS to replace expiring provisions and make minor changes - some relevant to Part 135 - (CD 2522OS)

Policy Aim

Provide operators with an additional flight planning option for flights to aerodromes currently defined as isolated destination aerodromes.

Proposed Policy

We propose to permit operators to choose not to apply the isolated destination aerodrome requirements in the circumstances where the destination aerodrome is isolated, as defined by section 4.03 of the Part 121 MOS, provided the flight is planned with a fully compliant section 4.11 of the Part 121 MOS (Table 4.11) destination alternate aerodrome, and fuel planning is in accordance with a consequential amendment to section 7.05 of the Part 121 MOS (this section specifies the amount of fuel that must be carried for a flight).

The proposed amendments would include the following conditions as safety controls to address the level of safety necessary to protect diversion distances to destination aerodromes beyond 90 minutes:

• the fuel amendment would specify that when a destination aerodrome would otherwise be isolated, the minimum fuel for the flight to have on board at the missed approach point at the destination aerodrome sufficient fuel:
  • to allow an aeroplane that suffers engine failure or loss of pressurisation, whichever results in the greater subsequent fuel consumption,
    • to proceed to an alternate aerodrome, and
    • fly for 15 minutes at a holding speed at 1 500 ft above the aerodrome elevation in international standard atmosphere conditions, and
    • make an approach and landing.