self-respecting airline geek which airline was the first to introduce commercial

 Ask any self-respecting airline geek which airline was the primary to introduce commercial trans-Atlantic twin-engine services, and you’d probably get a solution like TWA, American, or even Air Canada. The surprising answer? Plucky little El Al, the fiercely independent but resource-challenged national airline of Israel. How did that happen?


Never shy in taking over a replacement challenge, El Al has built a reputation on pioneering industry breakthroughs – a non-stop distance record on the JFK-TLV proving flight with a Bristol Britannia in 1957 (5,760 miles). A trans-Atlantic speed record on the 707 JFK-LHR segment in 1970 (7 hours, 57 minutes). the last word “high passenger density” 747-400 operation during which a staggering 1,122 Ethiopian refugees were safely (if not so comfortably) evacuated from Addis Ababa to Tel Aviv in 1991. And a group of remarkable COVID repatriation flights in 2020.


In 1983, El Al took delivery of the primary of 4 767-200s from Boeing. the primary two airplanes were the quality range models (4,270-mile range). The second two airframes were extended range (ER) variants, equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4E engines, enabling a variety of 5,610 miles.


By 1984, the FAA was actively working with several operators to implement new overwater operational approvals for twin-engine operations – what would become referred to as ETOPS- Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards. But the old rule – that the flight had to remain within a 60-minute radius of an appropriate landing site — was still in effect.


It’s hard to wrap our heads around this today once we can fly 19 hours with up to 330 minutes ETOPS. But the notion of twin-engine oceanic operations was new stuff some time past . tons was unknown. An inflight engine shutdown would make the remaining engine work harder. Could it handle the stress? Could the one remaining generator or hydraulic ram reliably perform? and easily counting on the APU to cold-start at cruise or for the ram air turbine to properly deploy wasn't sufficient. Alternate airport requirements were more strict and a number of crew-training, equipage, and certification requirements made the very proposition of viable commercial ETOPS operations a frightening task.


What was clear was that the economics of twin-engine operations was quite compelling. the value savings of operating a 767-200 with 190 passengers compared to a 370-seat 747 on a typical trans-Atlantic route was within the range of 45%. Fuel and crew costs (including the new two-person cockpit of the 767) accounted for the bulk of the trip savings.


Having trialed its two ERs on shorter European runs from Tel Aviv , El Al was able to exploit the 60-minute rule for commercial service from North America. On March 26, 1984, El Al became the primary airline to supply commercial ETOPS flights, operating a 767-200ER (4X-EAC) from Montreal to Tel Aviv . The non-stop route, in compliance with the 60-minute rule, took 11 hours and eight minutes.

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