ETOPS

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Some more info about ETOPS:

In 1988, the FAA amended the ETOPS regulation to allow the extension to 180 minutes diversion period subject to stringent technical and operational
qualifications. This made 95% of the earth's surface available to ETOPS flights. The first such flight was conducted in 1989. This set of regulations
was subsequently adopted by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), ICAO and other aviation regulatory bodies worldwide.

In this manner 757 series, 767 series, some Boeing 737 series, the Airbus A300-600, A310 series, A320 series and the A330 series were approved for
ETOPS operations. The success of ETOPS aircraft like 767 and 777 killed the intercontinental trijets. This ultimately led Boeing to end the MD-11
program a few years after Boeing's merger with McDonnell Douglas, as well as to scale down the production of its own 747.

The North Atlantic airways are the most heavily utilized oceanic routes in the world. Most are conveniently covered by ETOPS-120min rules, removing
the necessity of utilizing 180-min rules. However, many of the North Atlantic diversion airports, especially those in Iceland and Greenland, are
frequently subject to adverse weather conditions making them unavailable for use. As the 180-min rules is the upper limit, the JAA has given 15%
extension to the 120-min rules to deal with such contingencies, giving the ETOPS-138min thereby allowing ETOPS flights with such airports closed.

In the North Pacific, ETOPS-180 (180 minutes) is satisfied by the availability of airports in the Aleutians Islands and Midway Atoll. As the Aleutians
airports are prone to adverse weather conditions and volcanic activities, Boeing subsidised construction of the Midway Atoll diversion airport to
enable the 777 to fly the North Pacific routes. After a petition from Boeing and United Airlines, in 2001, the FAA allowed a 15% extension to the
ETOPS-180 rules bringing them to ETOPS-207. The approval is granted only to the 777. This approval is granted only if Northern Pacific route diversion
airports are closed.

However, the JAA differed because it was argued that ETOPS-180 is already the upper limit and such extension may compromise safety as the airliners
are only certified for at most, the ETOPS-180 rating. This difference remains to this day.
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Early ETOPS
Boeing 777-200ER.
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Boeing 777-200ER.

The regulations allow an airliner to have ETOPS-120 rating on its entry into service. ETOPS-180 is only possible after 1 year of trouble-free 120-min
ETOPS experience. Boeing has convinced the FAA that it could deliver an airliner with ETOPS-180 on its entry into service. This process is called
Early ETOPS. Thus the Boeing 777 was the first aircraft to carry an ETOPS rating of 180-min at its introduction.

The Joint Aviation Authorities, however disagreed and the Boeing 777 was rated ETOPS-120 in Europe on its entry into service. European airlines
operating the 777 must demonstrate 1 year of trouble-free 120-min ETOPS experience before obtaining 180-min ETOPS for the 777.