Etops Regulations

NEW ETOPS REGULATIONS Extended-range operations with two-engine airplanes (ETOPS) rank among the safest and most reliable of all flight operations. Pending rulemaking by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration may expand these reliability enhancements and operational protections to all extended-diversion-time operations (i.e., flying on routes with the potential for an extended diversion), not just those performed with two-engine airplanes. FLIGHT OPERATIONS CHET EKSTRAND As airplane range capabilities VICE PRESIDENT REGULATORY AFFAIRS continue to increase, flights across remote regions BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES of the world are becoming more common. The MOHAN PANDEY global aviation community—which collaboratively SENIOR MANAGER OPERATIONAL REGULATORY AFFAIRS defined and proposed this U.S. rulemaking— BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES believes that applying ETOPS rules to all extended- diversion-time operations will raise the industry to a higher and uniform standard. Second-Quarter 2003 — April AERO 3 for public review and comment. THE ETOPS PARADIGM SHIFT Following comment resolution, When the conservative ETOPS O n December 16, 2002, the FAA is expected to enact new program began in 1985, its intent the Aviation Rulemaking extended-operations rules, perhaps was to ensure that the safety of Advisory Committee (ARAC)— as soon as late 2004. two-engine airplanes would match an advisory committee of the U.S. This article discusses the that of three- and four-engine air- Federal Aviation Administration reasons behind this global activity planes on long-range transoceanic (FAA)— presented to the FAA its and describes the specific regu- routes. Implicit in the ETOPS rules findings and recommendations on latory changes that the ARAC was the initial assumption that extended operations (i.e., operations has proposed. turbine-powered airplanes with on routes with the potential for an extended-duration diversion). 1 BOEING ETOPS ROUTES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2002 Initiated by the FAA tasking state- FIGURE ment of June 14, 2000, this proposed U.S. rulemaking marks the culmination of more than two years of global collaboration to review current requirements for extended- range operations with two-engine airplanes (ETOPS) and propose updated and standardized requirements that will embrace all extended-diversion-time operations, not just those performed with two-engine airplanes. The ARAC ETOPS Working Group comprised expert represen- tatives from many of the world’s airlines, airframe and engine manufacturers, pilots’ associations, regulatory authorities, and non- governmental organizations. In keeping with its proposal that the extended-operations protections be applied broadly to protect all airplanes, regardless of the number of engines, the ETOPS Working Group further recommended that the term ETOPS itself be redefined to simply mean extended operations. (See “ARAC ETOPS Working Group Participants,” p. 7.) The FAA will evaluate the proposed ARAC findings and ■ 29,000 ETOPS flights per month recommendations, make whatever ■ changes it deems appropriate, and 2,626,000 cumulative ETOPS flights publish the results in a Notice of ■ 94 current ETOPS operators Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 4 AERO Second-Quarter 2003 — April two engines were inherently less brought about a profound revision 1. ETOPS is the state of the art in safe than those with three or more to that initial thinking. After nearly intercontinental air travel. engines. As a result, a separate set two decades of highly successful 2. Engine reliability is no longer the of more stringent requirements was ETOPS around the world, the single focus of safety concerns. deemed necessary for operating global aviation community today 3. A uniform standard is desirable two-engine airplanes on routes views ETOPS in a different light. for all extended operations. with the potential for an extended- Characterizing this profound duration diversion. data-driven paradigm shift are Since then, however, extensive ETOPS IS THE STATE OF THE the present-day industry percep- ART IN INTERCONTINENTAL ETOPS service experience has 1 tions that AIR TRAVEL ETOPS is the dominant mode of transatlantic flight operations today and accounts for a rapidly growing component of transpacific and other operations as well. Since 1985, more than 3 million ETOPS flights have been logged using the twinjets of several manufacturers. Today, about 125 operators worldwide log an additional 1,100 ETOPS flights each day. Of this industry total, Boeing twinjets alone have performed more than 2.6 million ETOPS flights, and 94 Boeing operators fly nearly 1,000 more each day (fig. 1). This vast service experience reveals that ETOPS ranks among the safest and most reliable of all flight operations. This success results from the preclude and protect philosophy of ETOPS, which enhances flight operations in two ways: ■ ETOPS-related design improvements and maintenance practices increase airplane systems and engine reliability, making it less likely that an airplane will need to divert from its intended course and land at an alternate airport. ■ ETOPS operational requirements introduce proactive measures that protect the airplane, passengers, and crew should a diversion occur. This philosophy has indirectly bene- fited the entire industry. All commercial operations today — including those performed with three- and four- engine airplanes — benefit from gains in the reliability and robustness of airplane engines and systems initially achieved through ETOPS programs. Second-Quarter 2003 — April AERO 5 Operators flying three- and four- exceed the 60-min operating restriction. relevant to overall safety and reliability engine airplanes are not currently The result was ETOPS, which began in on routes with the potential for an required to meet the high ETOPS 1985 with 120-min diversion authority extended diversion. standard. Nevertheless, some operators and the requirement for an average already comply with key ETOPS safety engine in-flight shutdown (IFSD) rate of A UNIFORM STANDARD IS enhancements on a voluntary basis. just 0.05 per 1,000 engine-hours. With 3 DESIRABLE FOR ALL EXTENDED This elective application of ETOPS 180-min ETOPS authority, which fol- OPERATIONS best practices suggests that the main- lowed in 1988, an even more stringent All airplanes flown on extended- tenance and operational benefits of reliability target of just 0.02 IFSDs per diversion-time routes face similar oper- ETOPS are well recognized by the 1,000 engine-hours was specified. ating challenges in terms of weather, global industry and that operators find In this way, ETOPS drove manu- terrain, and limitations in navigation them cost effective. facturers and operators alike to pursue and communications infrastructure. dramatic gains in propulsion system ENGINE RELIABILITY IS NO Given that the operating environment reliability. The industry met this chal- is common to all extended operations, 2 LONGER THE SINGLE FOCUS OF lenge and bettered it. During the past SAFETY CONCERNS and that all categories of jetliner are few years, in fact, the average IFSD safe, the global aviation community In the past, concerns about flight safety rate of the worldwide 180-min ETOPS believes a uniform standard is desirable focused first and foremost on the re- for extended operations. The global liability of propulsion systems. When So profound community further recognizes that ocean-spanning commercial flight applying ETOPS requirements to all operations began after World War II, has this trend been airplanes — not just those with two that narrow focus was appropriate in that propulsion engines — will raise the industry to light of the limited reliability of piston a higher and uniform standard. engines. During the 1940s and 1950s, reliabilities Although diversions are rare, any in fact, piston engine–related events airplane might someday need to divert were the predominant cause of airliner unachievable just to an airport other than its intended accidents and contributed to a world- destination for various reasons (e.g., wide fleet hull-loss accident rate that 15 years ago passenger illness, smoke in the flight was some 60 times higher than today’s. are today routine deck or cabin, turbulence, adverse The limited reliability of piston winds, weather, fuel leak, cargo fire, engines led to an operating restriction in the modern in-flight engine failure or shutdown). being placed on two-engine airplanes Thus, the dual ETOPS philosophy of 50 years ago. The intent of the twinjet fleet. precluding diversions and protecting so-called 60-Minute Rule of 1953 the passengers, crew, and airplane on (U.S. Federal Aviation Regulation fleet has typically been at or below those rare occasions when diversions [FAR] 121.161) was to bar two-engine 0.01 IFSDs per 1,000 engine-hours — do occur is applicable to all extended propeller airplanes, such as the Douglas twice the reliability required for such operations, not just those performed DC-3, from flying extended routes then operations. So profound has this trend with two-engine airplanes. more safely served by four-engine been that propulsion reliabilities un- As a result of ETOPS, the industry propeller types, such as the DC-4. That achievable just 15 years ago are today has achieved significant improvements piston-era operating restriction remains routine in the modern twinjet fleet. in the reliability and robustness of air- in effect at the time of this writing. In light of these advances, and plane engines and systems. However, During

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