ETOPS Operations Applied to Helicopters

Rotorcraft operations have come under scrutiny over recent years because of their safety record compared to that of fixed wing platforms, especially for Commercial Air Transport. In the framework to improve the safety level, this paper explores the application of a model used successfully for fixed wing Commercial Air Transport consisting of the introduction of Extended Twin Operations (ETOPS) airworthiness and operations standards leveraging on the successful safety record since their introduction on intercontinental flights in 1985.