editorial 8/1997

ETOPS: JAA’s Top Flop

The harmonization of the European aviation regulations is a welcome opportunity to revise these rules and to reform them where necessary. However, the fact that the JAA wants to implement ETOPS-rules to the operations of twin engined business jets once again proves that the lawmakers tend to regulate more than necessary. ETOPS (Extended Twin Operations) came into existence in the early fifties, when the North Atlantic was crossend with piston powered airliners which were far from having the reliability of today’s modern jet engines.

ETOPS means that twin-engined aircraft are only allowed to operate commercially on long overwater routes if they have proven a certain safety standard in terms of engine and system reliability as well as in operational aspects.

The first step of an ETOPS certification is a ticket which allows the operator to use routes which lead the aircraft up to 120 minutes flight-time away from the nearest airport. The next step is a 180-minutes ETOPS certification which allows the operator to choose routes up to 180 minutes away from the nearest airport. With a 180 minutes ETOPS certification, many business aircraft can cross the North Atlantic nonstop on the shortest possible route.

The JAR-OPS committee wanted to introduce the ETOPS 120 rule in their JAR-OPS-1 for business aircraft operations, which by far exceeds the ruling which should be dictated by the safety statistics: For the last 30 years there has never been an business aircraft accident which could have been prevented with ETOPS-rules, there wasn’t even an business aircraft accident on ETOPS-routes.

It’s ridiculous to force operators of the safest means of transport over the Atlantic to add a stop to their flight, in the name of safety. Everyone knows, and the safety statistics prove it, that approach and landing are the phases of flight in which most accidents happen. Did these people really knew what they were doing when they proposed ETOPS for business aircraft?

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has opposed the proposal. NBAA and other organizations supported EBAA in this case.

At the last meeting of the JAR-OPS committee in Helsinki, it seemed that the committee would agree to a 180-minutes-ETOPS rule which would allow operators to use the same routes they are using today when crossing the Atlantic. However, crew training, maintenance and operational procedures have to comply with ETOPS rules.

So what’s the advantage of ETOPS for the business aviation community? Due to the bureaucratic procedures for ETOPS certification we will learn again that business aviation is the safest means of transport across the Altantic. Everyone knows it, but, due to the fact that no accident ever occured, there was no statistical evidence yet. That’ll change now. But is it worth the price?

Volker K. Thomalla
Editor-in-Chief aerokurier

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