A Passenger Jet Can Keep Flying Even If an Engine Fails Mid-Air
Modern commercial aircraft are designed to fly safely for hours on a single engine—a capability known as ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards).
For example, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner can remain airborne for up to 330 minutes (5.5 hours) with only one functioning engine. This ensures the aircraft can safely reach the nearest suitable airport even if an engine fails.
How is this possible? Because airplanes are not “flying bricks”—they generate aerodynamic lift through their wings. Engines provide thrust, but actual flight is sustained by the wings. Even if both engines stop, an aircraft can glide and land like a glider. Notable examples include Air Transat Flight 236 in 2001 and US Airways Flight 1549 (the “Miracle on the Hudson”) in 2009.
