Originally Posted by
scambo1
You know folks, this is really the beginning of a potentially valuable discussion... ETOPS alternates. I'm far from a LCA, but sometimes (frequently) I am miffed about this topic. I have wondered why some places are selected and others arent; why some airports listed in chapter 8 arent even in the database; why (at least in the past) we didn't use airports down the coast of africa (as alternates) when Air France used them as destinations; what do you really plan to do if you NEED to divert and shemya is 1000 miles away, but Magadan is 400 miles away and it is the middle of winter.
I know this is why we make the big bucks, but I ponder this stuff every flight...I am still no more enlightened than if I was a newbie.
My understanding of this is these airports are not in our books because Delta has not officially been there to confirm the engineering etc. and set up contracts if need be for help servicing our aircraft.
Wellllllll, in the middle of winter, Magadan might be the better choice!!
That's where your judgement comes into play and you're right but I'll modify your statement and say "That's why we get paid the NOT SO big bucks!"
Denny