---
title: "CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes — Part-CAT · Avioverse"
description: "In the meteorological conditions expected for the flight, and in the event of engine failure, the aeroplane shall be capable of reaching a place at which…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-cat/subpart-c/cat-pol-a-320"
---

# CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes

ANNEX IV (Part-CAT) · Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

IR Implementing rule

## CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes

(a) In the meteorological conditions expected for the flight, and in the event of engine failure, the [aeroplane](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aeroplane) shall be capable of reaching a place at which a [safe forced landing](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/safe-forced-landing) can be made, unless the operator is approved by the competent authority in accordance with Annex V (Part-SPA), Subpart L — SINGLE-ENGINED TURBINE AEROPLANE OPERATIONS AT [NIGHT](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/night) OR IN IMC (SET-IMC) and makes use of a risk period.

(b) For the purposes of point (a), it shall be assumed that, at the point of engine failure:

(1) the aeroplane is not flying at an altitude exceeding that at which the rate of climb equals 300 ft per minute, with the engine operating within the maximum continuous power conditions specified; and

(2) the en-route gradient is the gross gradient of descent increased by a gradient of 0,5 %.

IR · CAT.POL.A.320 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · Regulation (EU) 2017/363 · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC1 CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes

ENGINE FAILURE

CAT.POL.A.320requires the operator not approved by the competent authority in accordance with Subpart L (SET-IMC) of Annex V (Part-SPA) to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, and not making use of a risk period, to ensure that in the event of an engine failure, the [aeroplane](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aeroplane) should be capable of reaching a point from which a [safe forced landing](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/safe-forced-landing) can be made. Unless otherwise specified by the competent authority, this point should be 1 000 ft above the intended landing area.

AMC · AMC1 CAT.POL.A.320 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2017/004/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM1 CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes

ENGINE FAILURE

Considerations for the operator not approved by the competent authority in accordance with Subpart L (SET-IMC) of Annex V (Part-SPA) to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, and not making use of a risk period:

(a) In the event of an engine failure, single-engined aeroplanes have to rely on gliding to a point suitable for a [safe forced landing](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/safe-forced-landing). Such a procedure is clearly incompatible with flight above a cloud layer that extends below the relevant minimum safe altitude.

(b) The operator should first increase the scheduled engine-inoperative gliding performance data by 0.5 % gradient when verifying the en-route clearance of obstacles and the ability to reach a suitable place for a forced landing.

(c) The altitude at which the rate of climb equals 300 ft per minute is not a restriction on the maximum cruising altitude at which the [aeroplane](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aeroplane) can fly in practice, it is merely the maximum altitude from which the engine-inoperative procedure can be planned to start.

GM · GM1 CAT.POL.A.320 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2017/004/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM2 CAT.POL.A.320 En-route – single-engined aeroplanes

RISK PERIOD

In the context of commercial air transport operations with single-engined turbine aeroplanes in instrument meteorological conditions or at [night](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/night) (CAT SET-IMC), a risk period is a period of flight during which no landing site has been selected by the operator.

GM · GM2 CAT.POL.A.320 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2017/004/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

[All rules in SUBPART C: AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND OPERATING LIMITATIONS](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-cat/subpart-c)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 27 Mar 2026, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.