FAA Certifies ERJ 190 for ETOPS-120

The Embraer ERJ 190 jet received ETOPS (Extended Operations) certification for 120 minutes from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This third member of the E-Jets family, seating up to 114 passengers, had already obtained the same certification from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional da Aviação Civil - ANAC), in February.
The ETOPS 120 rating enables the ERJ 190 to fly routes that have a diversion airport up to 120 minutes from the flight path. Therefore, the jet can fly long distances over oceans, deserts and other inhospitable areas, thus increasing its operational capability, world/wide, especially in Southeast Asia and Oceania. This new ERJ 190 feature is already available on regular Air Niugini flights connecting Papua New Guinea and Australia.
In March 2007, the EMBRAER 190 obtained its first ETOPS certification, for 75 minutes. This new approval is not merely an extension of the limit existing prior to the 120 minutes, but it also involves meeting a series of more demanding requirements. The Embraer jet is the first in the world to comply with the new rules established by ppendix K, Part 25, of the FAA’s regulations, showing the high quality and extensive operational capacity of the ERJ 190.