Originally Posted by
SLF3
Look at "ETOPS 180 at introduction" in the link below. I'm not arguing that ETOPS was a mistake. Simply that the FAA bent the rules for commercial reasons to support the 777.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETOPS
The FAA issued special conditions to allow and set requirements for early ETOPS type design approval. Special conditions are a legitimate tool provided for in the US part 21 certification process regulations. I don't think anyone can legitimately argue that the 777 wasn't ready for ETOPS at the time it was approved, and it turned out to be one of the safest airplanes ever built. Boeing followed the special conditions for the 777 program very diligently.