TOKYO-16 September 1998 All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (ANA), Asia's largest passenger carrier received MOT authorization for use of a 180 Minute ETOPS (Extended-Range Twin-Engine Operations) rule for its Boeing 767-300ER on 11 September. The ruling, the first of its kind for a Japanese carrier, allows ANA to operate flights between Japan and Hawaii utilizing a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.

ANA started its charter flights using B767-300ER aircraft from 12 September between Osaka and Honolulu. This made ANA the first Japanese airline to operate a twin engine aircraft to Honolulu.

When aircraft were originally developed, engine reliability was low and the rate of malfunctions while airborne was fairly high. For this reason, when twin engines were first used, the possibility of engine failure was taken into consideration. Flight operations were restricted to within a 60 minute radius of the nearest airport, 60 minutes being the maximum time to reach the nearest airport with only one functioning engine. Subsequently, flights using twin engines for long distances over large bodies of water were not permitted.

However, as innovations in technology and advances in aircraft safety were made, restrictions on aircraft use were eased worldwide. This deregulation allowed airlines with sufficient operational experience and the necessary maintenance, operation and training procedures to operate twin engine aircraft at a distance of over 60 minutes from the nearest airport by using the ETOPS, rule provided the aircraft had passed established standards of safety and reliability.

The establishment of the original ETOPS rule in June 1989 in Japan allowed twin engine aircraft to distance their flight path to up to within 120 minutes from the nearest airport. The new ETOPS rule, introduced in March 1998, extends this distance to a maximum of 180 minutes from the nearest airport.

The ETOPS rule allows for safe operation over longer distances using a twin engine aircraft. As such, it is testimony to both the safety of the aircraft and the operational ability and advanced technology of the airline.

ANA used 1989 the 120 ETOPS rule for its Bangkok services using a B767-300ER. After the establishment of the 180 minutes ETOPS ruling, ANA applied to the MOT for authorization to operate B767-300ER aircraft under the new rule. ANA was the first Japanese carrier to receive MOT authorization.

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