For those familiar with the world of aeronautics, the acronym ETOPS is not unknown. Basically it refers to "extended range operations with twin-engine aircraft" (extended range operations with two engine airplanes). In essence, it is a detailed regulation that allows commercial flights that are certified to do so to fly more than 60 minutes away from a suitable airport for landing.
Innovation in the aviation industry has made today's aircraft much more efficient and reliable.
In fact, ETOPS certification is intended for verify that aircraft and crew are in proper condition to deal with a situation resulting from the failure of an engine or of one of the aircraft's basic systems (hydraulic, electrical, fire-fighting, cabin pressurisation, etc.).
The first non-stop transatlantic flight was made in 1919 and since then many aircraft have flown long routes with certain precautions. In general, they chose to stay close to the coast and to use the archipelagos with airfields as best they could. However, there was no global standardisation that would provide adequate and proven safety criteria.
It is true that transatlantic flights were mostly in the hands of three- and four-engined aircraft. This also allowed them to have redundant systems for thrust generation and on-board systems. Continuous innovation in the industry soon allowed twin-engine aircraft to achieve high levels of reliability The new aircraft's engines, systems and the aircraft as a whole, which resulted in greater efficiency and a consequent reduction in operating costs.
It was therefore time to define criteria to bring twin-engine aircraft up to the same level of safety and reliability as their predecessors which, with more engines, had been performing long-range flights up to that date. The guidelines that were put on the table for defining these new procedures were based on minimising the probability of in-flight deviationand that it has the necessary appropriate safeguards in the event of such an occurrence.
It was in 1985 that the FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration) approved guidelines setting out the conditions under which an aircraft could make a 120-minute deviation. ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) immediately joined this initiative, as it had already had similar rules since 1976 (in its case for 90 minutes). So did EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) and other regulatory authorities. It was time for a global agreement on this issue.
In 2007, the FAA opted to include special requirements for three- and four-engine aircraft, renaming them "three-engine and four-engine aircraft".extended operations"(extended operations). Somewhat later, in 2012, it was ICAO who did the same by adopting the acronym EDTO (extended fun time operations), while in Europe the name LROPS (long range operations).
For the sake of simplicity, ICAO declared the validity of using ETOPS and EDTO interchangeably for this type of flight.
The ETOPS rating refers to many aspects of the aircraft that must be complied with, including on-board equipment and devices, which is why there may be two aircraft of the same model where one complies while the other does not. Additionally, the crews assisting each flight must be qualified also for ETOPS flights. In other words, the aircraft must have to be certified from the design point of view, which is the responsibility of the manufacturer, as well as from the operational point of view, which is the responsibility of the carrier.
In relation to the manufacturer, it must demonstrate to the relevant authority in each case that the aircraft is reliable for ETOPS operations with a specified diversion time to an alternative airport suitable for that particular aircraft. This can be 90, 120, 180, 240 or even 360 minutes.
The flight operator, for his part, must also arrange with the appropriate authority for the ETOPS flight qualification. This means that a whole series of policies, processes and procedures to ensure the reliability of the flight and the protection of passengers and crew in the event of a flight diversion. This also includes intensive training and coaching of the crews involved.
With hindsight, now that more than thirty years have passed since this flight qualification policy was implemented, it is still fully valid. It is also true that the innovation in the aeronautics industry has meant that today's aircraft are far more efficient and reliable than those leaving the assembly plants in the 1980s. Three- and four-engine aircraft are in the doldrums as twin-engine aircraft take on any route with ever more frequent non-stop range records.
