Extended Diversion Time Operation (EDTO) coursework is essential to any pilot training curriculum. Formerly known as Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS), EDTO provides a safety protocol designed to boost fuel and time efficiency.
EDTO covers situations involving aircraft with two turbines that must divert to an alternate en-route airfield when the diversion time exceeds the threshold time for the unexpectedly one-turbine aircraft to safely traverse airspace. While it can apply to four-turbine aircraft, they do not typically face life-threatening situations caused by a single-engine failure.
Moreover, EDTO provides a toolkit for predicting and managing engine failure, an infrequent event. It details the speed and distance pilots can expect to fly safely on the single remaining engine. It offers maximum diversion times and standard conditions. The situations require pilot know-how and an understanding by aircraft controllers or dispatchers who must approve the diversion on the ground.
Therefore, coursework encompasses the complex interplay of system reliability mandates and pilot and flight operations staff actions taken when en-route diversion becomes necessary.