Emirates A380 flies 5000 miles on three engines...

I'll say what I know for the 747 anyway. The QRH certainly doesn't say divert to the nearest suitable airport, except in the case of engine severe damage or separation. This is the regular engine failure QRH procedure. You are generally expected to continue unless you have a really good reason not to. 3 engine level off at most operating weights is still in the 30,000's. Even a max grossed 748F on an ISA +20 day will still level off in the mid 20's on 3 engines. There isn't much published guidance on when a single engine failure situation would require a divert. If you do divert in a 4 engine jet after losing a single engine, you will probably need a really good reason in order to avoid a carpet dance. The best thing is to consult with dispatch and do as they suggest, as long as it seems reasonable. The airplane flies very well on 3 engines (the 747 at least) and can even autoland if you don't feel like dealing with it yourself.

I've never experienced an engine failure in the 747 series personally, the CF6 and GEnx have both been very very reliable in my modest experience. Reasons I can think of to divert - the failure somehow impacted other systems adversely, a repair is going to be difficult or impossible at your destination, you're flying over the Andes or Himalayas at extremely high gross weights, you can't balance the fuel (lol). The jet can actually takeoff on 3 engines only in ferry situations with a specifically trained crew.


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Depends. It was a whole lot on the BA flight. I had a friend shut one down an hour or 2 into a 9 hour flight. Landed with the planned landing gas.

Thanks. I'd imagine the biggest factors are the lower altitude and flying with the rudder deflected for that long. But on the other hand , you have one engine that isn't burning anything. *shrug*
 
I can understand overflying some airports depending on a variety of factors, but to fly 5000 miles!?!?!

You either have to dump or burn off fuel to get down to landing weight anyway. Get as far down range toward your destination as you possibly can.
 
How many suitable airports are there for the A380 in the world? What is Emirates definition of suitable airport?

Fair point. They had at least JFK and YYZ that were closer than LHR, FRA, CDG and other airports in Europe. All of those were obviously closer than Kuwait City.


Also what jurisdiction does the FAA have over this flight? I'm not trying to be fresh just several questions that come to mind.

If you read my articles I linked, that question would have been answered :).
 
If you read my articles I linked, that question would have been answered :).
No they don't. The BA airplane lost an engine in the United States. The emirates plane in question did not. So I ask again, what jurisdiction does the FAA have on this flight?
 
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