Crossing the Pacific in a twin-jet was unheard of 20 years ago. In fact, conventional wisdom said it was impossible. Then, granting by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) of ETOPS (Extended-Range Twin-engine Operations) certification to the Boeing 757 and 767 paved the way for other twin-jets to also operate long over-water stages such as this. When Aloha Airlines decided to fly to the US West Coast, the Boeing 737-700, which has a range in excess of 2,600nm (4,800km), was selected. Still the naysayers said it was impossible, although Aloha knew that it was viable. Understandably, some people were apprehensive over the idea of a 737 flying trans-Pacific. But with all the technological advances and upgrades on Boeing's Next-Generation 737s—notably the fitment of Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets—longer range was one of the benefits of those improvements.
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