Guest BKKvisitor Posted January 9, 2007 Posted January 9, 2007 Those of us who travel to the LOS on long flights over extended stretches of water, hours away from the nearest airstrip, all acknowledge a fear we keep buried in the back of our psyche: what happens if we have a fire or major mechanical failure. Up until now, the FAA had relied on the quality of the engines and rigorous maintenance to provide a window of opportunity that would allow he crew to reach an airport without having to ditch. Now the FAA is acknowledging that the window doesn't open far enough. It has announced new requirements for jets that fly extended routes over desolate areas to tighten maintenance standards and equip aircraft with firefighting capability capable of sustaining an attack until the plane can reach an airport. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/200...ght-rules_x.htm Quote