An aviation consultancy has warned of inconsistent regulatory oversight of Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO) in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to FSC Partners, continued regulatory oversight is required to conduct EDTO operations safely. EDTO operations allow twin-engine commercial aircraft to operate on routes where the diversion time to alternate aerodromes exceeds certain thresholds.
EDTO is particularly important for airlines operating twin-engine aircraft over large bodies of water in certain regions of the Asia-Pacific region.
“In general, an operator should submit quarterly reports to demonstrate the functionality of the equipment and list any impacts related to EDTO,” says FSC.
“However, these reports are often omitted or not of a sufficient standard in certain areas where oversight is inadequate. Sometimes there is a lack of experienced and qualified airworthiness inspectors, which can compromise EDTO’s oversight.”
The consultancy warns that some operators may “routinely” conduct EDTO operations that do not comply with international standards and also do not meet regulations in their home country.
This poses a security risk for both the airline’s departure country and the destination countries.
However, the FSC stresses that non-compliance is not necessarily intentional, but rather due to a lack of experience on the part of both airlines and regulators, particularly given that numerous experienced staff have left the industry during the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite efforts by airlines and ICAO to improve regulatory oversight of EDTO operations, some countries are struggling to implement better practices.
External audits can be helpful, but they run the risk of becoming mere desk exercises that overlook important aspects.
The FSC also continues to see problems with non-profit flights, such as delivery flights or post-maintenance flights, and believes that such flights should be more closely monitored by regulators, who should also issue clear guidelines on how such flights should be conducted.
“Transfer flights or technical flight tests go beyond the usual for most airline pilots and should require special training,” the FSC statement said.
