User manual

PFPX - Professional Flight Planner X
Aerosoft GmbH 2013
84 85
The Evolution of ETOPS
Starting from 1985 two-engine airplanes were allowed to operate on
routes up to 120 minutes from an adequate airport after demonstration
of specific levels of in-service experience and systems reliability.
It also allowed for an increase of up to 15% to the maximum diversion
time of 120 minutes (i.e. to 138 minutes).
In 1988 two-engine airplanes were permitted to operate up to 180 mi-
nutes from an adequate airport. The ‚up to 15%‘ provision was elimina-
ted with the release of guidance providing for operations up to 180
minutes. Recognising a need for ETOPS diversion authority between
120 and 180 minutes a provi-sion of 138 minutes was reinstated.
In 2000 a similar ‚up to 15%‘ increase in the 180 minute (i.e. 207 mi-
nutes) maximum diversion time was provided and gave limited relief to
ETOPS cer-tificate holders in the specific case of North Atlantic opera-
tions.
By 2008, it had become clear that there was a need to reflect all of the
in-dustry improvements by expanding two-engine operation authority
to all passenger-carrying airplanes. At the same time, technology was
bringing two-engine airplanes to the arena of long-range operations.
Political and funding priorities also forced the closure or reduction in
basic services of a number of airports in remote areas that historically
had been used as diversion airports for routes over oceanic and/or de-
solate land areas.
ETOPS approval is a two-step process:
1. The airframe and engine combination must satisfy the basic
ETOPS re-quirements during its type certification. This is called
ETOPS type approval. For example, if an aircraft type is rated as
ETOPS-180, it should be able to fly with full load and one engine
inoperative for three hours (Maximum Diversion Time).
2. An operator who conducts ETOPS flights must satisfy its own
authority (CAA) of its ability to conduct ETOPS flights. This is
called ETOPS operational certification.