Originally Posted by Big E 757

The first 50 will be ETOPS, from what I heard. I get what everyone is saying, but On a side note about ETOPS, the ETOPS certification is about aircraft capability, reliability, and equipment on overwater ops and has almost nothing to do with extra fuel tanks, except as far as making it overwater for extended periods of time, I.e. single engine and 120 or 180 minutes from the nearest suitable alternate. I think you guys might be talking past each other. ETOPS certification is about equipment (SELCAL, HF radios, and engine reliability). Back in 2010 time frame I was on the ER and I remember we had several issues with engines and some bulletins were issued saying if you had an engine problem, and had to shut it down, don’t try to restart it again if you don’t need to because if you have to shut it down again or it fails, that would count as two engine shutdowns for the fleet for that one event and that severely hurts our ETOPS certification on the entire fleet. Yes, more fuel equals more range and makes a 6 hour transatlantic flight possible under 120 minute ETOPS, but the lack of that extra fuel wouldn't necessarily preclude a 3-4 hour ETOPS flight over water to Hawaii or KEF, Or the Azores.

Before everyone goes nuts on me, I know without any extra tanks, the 321NEO probably doesn’t have the range to make Hawaii under 120 minute ETOPS to begin with. I’m just trying to point out, however poorly (after a 12.5 FDP, 7.58 block day) that fuel capacity doesn’t affect ETOPS per se, it just affects which destinations you can serve in said ETOPS certified fleet. Clear as volcanic rock?