Aircraft
A330-900 Certified for ‘Beyond 180-minutes’ ETOPS
The first of two A330neo models can fly routes with a diversion distance of some 2,000 nm.
The first TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-900 plies a route between Lisbon and Sao Paulo. (Photo: Airbus)
The first TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-900 plies a route between Lisbon and Sao Paulo. (Photo: Airbus)

The Airbus A330-900 has won ETOPS certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for “beyond 180-minutes” diversion time, a category of approval that includes an option for ETOPS 285min, allowing for a potential diversion distance of some 2,000 nm. Airbus now awaits the same approval for the larger of a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered A330neo models from the U.S. FAA, which the company said it expects “soon.”