kernals12
Banned
Until 1985, there was an FAA rule saying that twin engined American airliners could not travel more than 60 minutes from a diversion airport. The rule was based on the poor reliability of piston engines, and was meant to ensure that a plane could safely land even if one of its engines failed. But jet engines, by virtue of their simplicity, are far more reliable, and it is extremely unlikely that two engines could fail in-flight. As such, the rule was simply an anachronistic piece of red tape that hindered airline efficiency as this video explains.
The rule was repealed in 1985, with dramatic consequences. Trijets essentially disappeared overnight and today, the ginormous Boeing 747 and even bigger Airbus A380 are the last remaining quadjets. Airlines have been able to save lots of money by flying fuel sipping twinjets on transatlantic flights, and air service to much of Hawaii has been opened up.
So what if the rule was repealed in 1965 instead of 1985? How would the aircraft industry have changed?
So what if the rule was repealed in 1965 instead of 1985? How would the aircraft industry have changed?