REFERENCES

• ICAO Doc 10085 – EDTO Manual

• www.icao.int

• dgca.gov.in
 SCOPE
GENESIS

ETOPS OPERATIONS

REGULATIONS AND APPROVAL PROCESS

MILITARY APPLICABILITY

QUERIES AND DISCUSSIONS

 PRE ETOPS
• 1900s - Many models of practical aeroplanes
developed
• No commercial operations due to poor reliability

• 1940s - Advancement in aviation technology

improved airplane reliability
• Commercial aviation started

• Multi engine considered reliable than twin/ single

• Impose restrictions on twin/ single engine operations
 TWIN ENGINE RESTRICTIONS
• Piston Engines reached there limits by 1950
• Higher the horse power greater the risk of failure

• Prompted a FAA regulation in 1953

• Commercial twin engine aircraft to be within 60 min
flying time of adequate airport at all times
 EARLY ETOPS
• Jet engines replaced pistons
• All large civilian aircraft came under jet power

ETOPS
• 1980s - Owing to reliability of modern engines,
exceptions were granted to 60 min rule

• Extended range Twin Engine Operations

ETOPS
 ETOPS
• 1985 - ETOPS increased to 120 minutes (at single-engine cruise speed)
• Allowed airliner to get ETOPS 120 approval on entry into service

• 1988 - ETOPS extended to 180 minutes

• Subject to stringent technical and operational qualifications

• Adopted by JAA, ICAO and other regulatory bodies

• Airplanes could fly direct routes, better connectivity to remote locations
• Made 95% of the Earth surface available to ETOPS flights
First FAA approved ETOPS flight
 EDTO

“Any operation by an aeroplane with two or more

turbine engines where the diversion time to an
en‐route alternate aerodrome is greater than the
threshold time established by the State of the
Operator”
- ICAO
 ETOPS

EDTO
ETOPS EXTENDED TWIN OPERATIONS – TWIN ENG ONLY
LROPS DIVERSION TIME UP TO 180 MIN
 ETOPS

EXTENDED TWIN OPERATIONS – TWIN ENG ONLY

EDTO DIVERSION TIME UP TO 180 MIN
ETOPS
LROPS

EXTENDED OPERATIONS – TWIN, TRI & QUAD

DIVERSION TIME > 180 MIN
 ETOPS
EXTENDED TWIN OPERATIONS – TWIN ENG ONLY
DIVERSION TIME UP TO 180 MIN
EDTO
ETOPS DIVERSION TIME > 180 MIN
LROPS

EXTENDED OPERATIONS – TWIN, TRI & QUAD

DIVERSION TIME > 180 MIN
 EDTO
EXTENDED DIVERSION TIME OPERATIONS
EDTO EXTENDED TWIN OPERATIONS – TWIN
ETOPS
LROPS
LONG RANGE OPERATIONS - TRIS & QUADs

EXTENDED OPERATIONS – TWIN, TRI & QUAD

 ETOPS OPERATION
NON ETOPS FLIGHT PATH
ETOPS FLIGHT PATH

ETOPS AREA
 ALTERNATE AIRPORT

• Adequate Alternate Airport

• Meet performance requirements applicable at expected landing weight
• Must be available and have necessary services such as ATS, lighting, communications,
nav aids weather reporting and emergency services
• Must have at least one approach aid available for instrument approach

• Suitable Alternate Airport

• Adequate Alternate with forecasted weather at or above the specified minima
 ETOPS AREAS

ETOPS AREA

• ETOPS Area
• Within which operator is authorised to conduct ETOPS flight
• Defined by circles centered on adequate airport. Radius is the maximum diversion
certification.

• ETOPS Portion of Flight

• Portion of flight from the moment aircraft is greater than 60 min from adequate
airport till the time it is less than 60 min from nearest adequate airport
 EXTENDED RANGE SECTION
EEP EXP

• Extended Range Entry Point (EEP)

• Point beyond which aircraft is no longer continuously within 60 minutes flying time
from adequate airport

• Extended Range Exit Point (EXP)

• First point where aircraft is continuously within 60 minutes flying time from adequate
airport
 EQUAL TIME POINT

EQUAL TIME POINT

• Point along the route located at same flight time from two airports
𝐷 ×𝐺𝑆(𝐴)
𝐶𝑃 =
𝐺𝑆 𝐵 +𝐺𝑆 (𝐴)
• D = total distance from A to B
• GS(A) = ground speed from critical point to go back to A, and
• GS(B) = ground speed from critical point to proceed to B
 AREA OF OPERATIONS
• Benign Area of Ops
• Provides numerous adequate airports, high reliability and
availability of communications, navigation facilities and
ATC services
• Prevailing weather conditions are stable and generally do
not approach extremities

• Demanding Area of Operations

• Few alternate airports
• High level of reliability and availability of communication,
navigation and ATC services may not exist
• Prevailing weather conditions can approach extremes for
prolonged durations
APPROVAL PROCESS
 APPROVAL PROCESS
• Aircraft Certification
• "ETOPS type approval“ obtained by aircraft manufacturer
• Meet necessary standards during Type Certification eg:-FAA Requirement (FAR 25)
• Demonstrate crew is not unduly burdened by extra workload due to lost engine
• Probability of remaining engine failing is extremely remote
• In-flight shutdown (IFSD) rate better than 1 per 20,000 hours for ETOPS 120,
• 1 per 50,000 hours for ETOPS 180 and 1 per 100,000 hours for beyond 180
• Eg:- If an aircraft is rated for ETOPS 180 it is able to fly 3 hours with full load on one
engine
 APPROVAL PROCESS
• Operational Approval
• Operator obtain from their country's aviation regulators
• Demonstrating capability to undertake ETOPS operations
• Compliance with special engineering and flight crew procedures
• Pilots and engineering staff must be qualified and trained for ETOPS

• Types of Operational Approval

• Benign Area
• Demanding Area
 OP APPROVAL - BENIGN AREA

• Always within 75 min of an Adequate Airport

• ETOPS Type approval of aircraft not required
• Review of general scope of operation is carried out before Operational Specifications
are issued
 OP APPROVAL - DEMANDING AREA
• Approved CMP Manual is mandatory
• CMP - Configuration Maintenance and Procedures
• Maintenance requirements in respect of ER operations.
• Special Inspections, maintenance tasks, MEL constraints etc.

• ETOPS 75 approval require no service experience

• Higher ETOPS Diversion time only given considering past safe experinces
• Eg:- ETOPS 120 required 01 year of service experience and ETOPS 138
required 3 months of ETOPS 120 experience
 ETOPS RATINGS
• ETOPS-75
• ETOPS-90
• ETOPS-120
• ETOPS -138
• ETOPS-180
• ETOPS-240
• ETOPS-270
• ETOPS-330
• ETOPS-370
 MILITARY EXEMPTION

• Government-owned aircraft including military do not have to adhere to

ETOPS regulations

• Private jets are exempted ETOPS by FAA

• Subject to the ETOPS 120 in EASA's jurisdiction
 ETOPS A DEFINITE SUCCES
• Offers Flexibility to operators at the same time improved safety
• Smaller air planes to remote locations with increased frequency
• Connectivity to isolated locations
• Straighter routes reducing travel time and improving fuel savings
• Additional maintenance procedures and inspections

• Regulatory agencies
• Specific regulations and yardsticks to approve thresholds
• Uniformity in operations across the globe
ETOPS