Hello fellow community members, just curious as to how long an aircraft can fly without being put into retirement?
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If you look after an aircraft well it can go way beyond 30 years such as an air koryo Il62M
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Wow that’s pretty amazing how bout like major airline aircraft they can last just as long? Or is there a time period.
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Mostly 20 years, if refitted to be cargo probably another 20 years.
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Most safe commercial airlines only keep theirs for 20 years at most while some like Emirates keep theirs for only 10. If the airframe is updated and maintained properly they can last up to 50-60 years like this the case with B-52’s
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As many have said planes can be maintained for many years the reason they are retired are mainly they aren’t as efficient as newer aircraft therefore they cost the airline more to operate and secondly they start requiring to much maintenance to which they might as well invest in new aircraft
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Go look at the AA MD80s that are still flying, some well over 30 years at AA.
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its less to do with the age in years but how old the aircraft is in terms of “cycles” ie how many take-off and landings that the aircraft can do in her lifetime. With any luck you should have the same number of take off and landings…if you have a odd number, worry.
looking at various sources, modern airliners seem to be around the 40-50,000 Flight Cycles, though some are as low as 11,000 and some are as high as 75,000!
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Air koryo Il18’s are still flying.
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Normally between 30-35 years old. I’ve flown on a 33 year old MD80 and a 34 year old MD90 both with American Airlines
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