Life of airplanes.....
Aug 31, 2000 | 4:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ocilla, Ga. USA
Posts: 70
Life of airplanes.....
What is the average life of commercial airliners and any ideas of how many miles they have completed upon retirement? My son
asked this quetion for school report and sense I surley didn't know, I thought this is the only place to where I might find some answers to help him on this project....
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mc
asked this quetion for school report and sense I surley didn't know, I thought this is the only place to where I might find some answers to help him on this project....
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mc
Aug 31, 2000 | 9:04 am
#2
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You might try Boeing's PR department. I'm sure they get lots of questions related to school projects and have a procedure for answering them.
Aug 31, 2000 | 11:02 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Tampa, FL USA
Posts: 467
There are still a number of Douglas DC3 aircraft in commercial service that were built approximately 60 years ago. Mileage is not usually a factor, all wear and use measurements on aircraft and vital components are recorded in hours and cycles of use.
Aug 31, 2000 | 11:59 am
#4
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I think clanson is on the money. Cycles (takeoff & landing = 1 cycle) are the real counter of airplane life. IMHO, the hull is probably the most problematic part because other key elements (tires, engines) can be replaced. In modern aircraft, the hull is subject to the inflating & deflating of the pressuring/depresurring involved in every cycle so its probably the one sigle part thats most vulnerable to material fatigue.
So then.... Im just a finance guy that likes to talk about what he has no idea about, so I would appreciate an aeronautical engineer among us to set the record straight before an innocent kid gets an F on his report....
So then.... Im just a finance guy that likes to talk about what he has no idea about, so I would appreciate an aeronautical engineer among us to set the record straight before an innocent kid gets an F on his report....
Aug 31, 2000 | 12:54 pm
#5
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I second Clanson. I hear it is mainly cycles and not hours (except for turning parts such as engines) or miles. FWIW, most modern a/c seem ot be retired (from pax use) after 60-80,000 cycles. The 737 operated by the Hawaiin airline that lost its top a few years back had some 60k+ cycles on it and in corrosive environments too. All high-cycle a/c of that airline were retired immediately after.
If you want to go for miles, try the average miles per trip x no. cycles!
If you want to go for miles, try the average miles per trip x no. cycles!
Aug 31, 2000 | 2:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,122
There was a posting on one board that mentioned that the final blow to NW's antique DC9s will come after a certain number of cycles because the pressure bulkhead in the rear of the plane will have reached its design life. Each cycle flexs it and it is rated for only so many cycles. As part of the hull, it can't be replaced/repaired.
Aug 31, 2000 | 3:32 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: WILD ANIMAL PARK (SAN), CA> GOLD-CO, MARRIOTT, HH, STARWOOD, HYATT,
Posts: 1,373
Now I know why I prefer NEW planes and cars to old ones, if given a choice. I get nervous, when I see silly putty holding the Lavoratory together on the old planes. Like the one NW flies out of ONT to MSP. Hopefully, it has been replaced in the last 2 years.
Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the information.
Aug 31, 2000 | 4:10 pm
#8
Original Member
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Location: Tucson, Southern Arizona, North America, Western Hemisphere, The Earth, a small planet in the solar system. Previously OnePass Infinite Platinum Elite, now over entitled 1K
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From a thread in the Northwest Forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/000071.html
> NW plans to replace DC9's.
wrong.
they recently bought old/used
DC9's and refurbed them. they worked hard
with the FAA to gain approval for a life
extension program ... and add 15 years to
their service life (now 45 years).
> NW bought used DC10's.
Yessir. Dasburg likes to buy old & tired
and spend $$$ to overhaul/refurbish.
wrong.
they recently bought old/used
DC9's and refurbed them. they worked hard
with the FAA to gain approval for a life
extension program ... and add 15 years to
their service life (now 45 years).
> NW bought used DC10's.
Yessir. Dasburg likes to buy old & tired
and spend $$$ to overhaul/refurbish.
Sep 1, 2000 | 10:02 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,305
I'm an aircraft capt and I can tell you that any DC-9 or 737-200 you fly on has over 15000 hours and 10000 cycles. Aircraft components are both time limited (hours of flight) and cycle limited. Most parts are replaced within a year on commercial aircraft as they fly so regularly. My Pratt& Whitney engines are good for 3500 hrs so we get new ones every 6-8 months.