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Extended Operations (ETOPS) Eligibility for Turbine Engines

AC 33.201-1 · FAA

Public domain · FAAAdvisory Circulars

Overview

The Extended Operations (ETOPS) Eligibility for Turbine Engines (AC 33.201-1) is a public-domain FAA advisory circular, republished here as a free chaptered HTML edition with a linked table of contents and the official PDF.

Publisher
FAA
Document
AC 33.201-1
Pages
15
Chapters
2

Key points

  • This advisory circular provides guidance for demonstrating compliance with ETOPS eligibility requirements for turbine engines as per 14 CFR part 33.
  • Compliance with the regulations outlined does not grant ETOPS type design approval but allows for type design eligibility for engines on ETOPS airplanes.
  • Engine manufacturers must demonstrate that their design minimizes the likelihood of engine-related diversions, particularly for two-engine ETOPS airplanes.
  • A cyclic endurance test is required to identify potential failures that may not be evident in standard certification tests, and must be conducted under specific operational conditions.
  • The engine's Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) must include a note on the model's ETOPS status and the maximum diversion time demonstrated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of this advisory circular?

The purpose of this advisory circular is to provide guidance and acceptable methods for demonstrating compliance with ETOPS eligibility requirements for turbine engines.

Is compliance with the guidance in this advisory circular mandatory?

No, the guidance provided is not mandatory or regulatory in nature; it describes acceptable means for demonstrating compliance but does not constitute a regulation.

What must engine manufacturers demonstrate for ETOPS eligibility?

Engine manufacturers must demonstrate that their engine design minimizes the likelihood of engine or propulsion system caused diversions, particularly for engines intended for two-engine ETOPS airplanes.

What is required for the cyclic endurance test?

The cyclic endurance test must utilize a conservative test cycle to identify potential failures and must be conducted in an acceptable ground or altitude test facility, typically in the installed configuration.

What information must be included in the engine's Type Certificate Data Sheet?

The Type Certificate Data Sheet must contain a note describing the model's ETOPS status and the maximum diversion time demonstrated.

part 25 (appendix K) for airplane ETOPS type design approval. This section also requires the

1/21/10 AC 33.201-1 c. Section 21.4(b)(2) defines the 12 month rolling average total IFSD rates required for each level of ETOPS airplane type design approval. These IFSD rates are the same as required under part 25 (appendix K) for airplane ETOPS type design approval. This section also requires the type certificate holder to publish service information that will enable operators to maintain the required airplane/engine combination world fleet IFSD rates. Service information can take the form of Service Bulletins, Service Letters, All Ops Wires, etc., published as necessary.

Francis A. Favara, Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate Aircraft Certification Service

Appendix A

1/21/10 AC 33.201-1 Appendix A APPENDIX A. Equivalent Amplitude Fatigue Exponent Determination a. Discussion. The Equivalent Amplitude Fatigue Exponent has its origin in the S.S. Manson (1) Method for Universal Slopes . Manson demonstrated that the fatigue exponents for many metals could be averaged and used to develop a universal fatigue exponent approximating either the low or high cycle capability of metallic materials. Although Manson used the approach to develop generic fatigue exponents representing a broad range of metals, the approach has been demonstrated to be applicable to characterizing the fatigue exponent for individual materials too (2)(3) . When the fatigue exponent is combined with cumulative damage calculations, it can be (4) used to assess accelerated fatigue tests . These various authors suggest the fatigue exponent may range from 4 to 20 depending on material and whether high cycle or low cycle fatigue is being evaluated. These authors also indicate that metallic materials typically exhibit high cycle fatigue exponents in the range of 4-8. The FAA determined that 5.68 is an overall acceptable value covering a variety of currently used turbine engine metals over a range of R-ratios for high cycle fatigue. If an engine design departs significantly from the use of conventional metals, then a reevaluation of the exponent in accordance with the references below may be required.

1. Manson, S.S., “Interfaces Between Fatigue, Creep, and Fracture”, NASA Technical Memorandum, NASA TM X-52189, 1966.

2. Lampman, S.R, et.al, “Fatigue and Fracture” ASM Handbook, Volume 19, 1996.

3. Delgado, I.R., G.R. Halford, B.M. Steinet & C.M. Rimnac, “Strain-Life Assessment of Grainex Mar-M 247 for NASA’s Turbine Seal Test Facility”.

4. Fackler, W.C., “Equivalence Techniques for Vibration Testing”, SMV-9, Shock and Vibration Information Center, US DoD, 1972.

A-1

Source & rights

Source: faa.gov. Public-domain U.S. Government work (17 USC §105) — freely reproducible.

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Document details

Doc number
AC 33.201-1
Publisher
FAA
Pages
15
File size
150 KB
Chapters
2