Highest time airframe ever
I don't know about Jetstar, but Lufthansa itself is flying some pretty ancient A320s, some approaching 30 years old.
That said, I don't see a shorthaul narrow-body qualifying as the highest-time airframe. If a winner is ever conclusively established, I'll be very surprised if it isn't a 747.
That said, I don't see a shorthaul narrow-body qualifying as the highest-time airframe. If a winner is ever conclusively established, I'll be very surprised if it isn't a 747.
They have a few that are close to 17 years old and utilisation likely to be huge.
Average utilisation is circa 9 hrs per day per aircraft with some doing a lot more
Wonder what EI-DAC has done.
Doubt they have anything about 50,000 yet but the will be close with some.
Codperplace
The Convair had been very well looked after by the previous airline who had run it for over 25 yrs. I found it flew better then some others with considerably less time and was very reliable.
The Convair had been very well looked after by the previous airline who had run it for over 25 yrs. I found it flew better then some others with considerably less time and was very reliable.
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Wouldn't be so convinced on that on a longer term basis given Ryanair utilisation of some of their aircraft.
They have a few that are close to 17 years old and utilisation likely to be huge.
Average utilisation is circa 9 hrs per day per aircraft with some doing a lot more
Wonder what EI-DAC has done.
Doubt they have anything about 50,000 yet but the will be close with some.
They have a few that are close to 17 years old and utilisation likely to be huge.
Average utilisation is circa 9 hrs per day per aircraft with some doing a lot more
Wonder what EI-DAC has done.
Doubt they have anything about 50,000 yet but the will be close with some.
Wouldn't be so convinced on that on a longer term basis given Ryanair utilisation of some of their aircraft.
They have a few that are close to 17 years old and utilisation likely to be huge.
Average utilisation is circa 9 hrs per day per aircraft with some doing a lot more
Wonder what EI-DAC has done.
Doubt they have anything about 50,000 yet but the will be close with some.
They have a few that are close to 17 years old and utilisation likely to be huge.
Average utilisation is circa 9 hrs per day per aircraft with some doing a lot more
Wonder what EI-DAC has done.
Doubt they have anything about 50,000 yet but the will be close with some.
To be in the race you need more than 12 hrs per day - averaged over around 30 years.
At only 9 hrs a day you are way behind the 8 ball.
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Well, the MD-11 that bought my on line car parts to Auckland yesterday must have had some hours on her. 26 years old according to Flightradar and she didn't get a lot of ground time as FDX 75.
I know the record is presumed to be a B747 (long sectors,lower cycles etc) but could a UPS or Fedex DC-10/MD-11 be up for the challenge?
I know the record is presumed to be a B747 (long sectors,lower cycles etc) but could a UPS or Fedex DC-10/MD-11 be up for the challenge?
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I flew a ex-KLM B747-200 SUD Freighter with MPH for a few years between 2003-2006. Built in 1975, it was then supposed to be the highest time airframe in the world. The HMV we did at around 125.000 hrs included a LOV (Limit of Validity Inspection), basically meaning that Boeing didn't design the airplane to be flown that many hrs, and extra inspections were needed to ensure its structural integrity.
We sold it to Southern Air in 2006, which were supposed to part it out but somehow decided to fly it some more.
It was retired in 2011, and subsequently stored or scrapped in MHV. Assuming Southern flew it for another 5000 hrs that adds up to some 130.000 hrs.
Apart from a rather quirky autopilot system, it flew just fine
We sold it to Southern Air in 2006, which were supposed to part it out but somehow decided to fly it some more.
It was retired in 2011, and subsequently stored or scrapped in MHV. Assuming Southern flew it for another 5000 hrs that adds up to some 130.000 hrs.
Apart from a rather quirky autopilot system, it flew just fine
Last edited by Mariner; 25th Apr 2019 at 08:13. Reason: typo's
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KLM PH-BFC City of Calgary; 141.938 flying hours and 17.271 cycles. Last flight march 12 2018
28.5 years with some substantial volcanic ash damage when 6 months old.
Now stored at Teruel? (some of the KLM 747's stored there were scrapped)
28.5 years with some substantial volcanic ash damage when 6 months old.
Now stored at Teruel? (some of the KLM 747's stored there were scrapped)
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Anyway back on topic! Thanks for the information about 605. Perhaps you may know somebody who knows somebody who could provide a verified record holder in this thread?
I suggested 47 year old 10-10 N365FE but other's suggest she's being almost semi retired and while still flying, is only doing short sector domestic work.
All the aircraft were bought as owned aircraft, they then sold on to Lease co in a Sale and Leaseback deal. So buying a 738 for say €25 M, sell to lease co for €35 M, lease for 7 years, lease co sell on at a profit. Everybody makes money as Ryanair realise benefit of purchasing at low cost.
Pretty easy, during winter they have airframes sitting around, also during summer at key bases so they may need to slot aircraft in when something goes tech. High hours older soon to be out of fleet will get more usage than newer frames. Selling a 738 in October 15 yrs old for $5m, you will not have it sitting on ground as a spare, you will be maxing hours because still going to get $5 million for it whether you add another 1000 plus hours or not.
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It is not semi-retired, it is what it is with all other 10-10s - it is not a longhaul aircraft due to 1) payload range 2) fuel burn 3) maintenance costs. They all do short sectors providing volume for zero capital cost, possibly some Canada and upper part of Latin America. It only takes around 60t of cargo and it will take it 4 tech stops to reach SYD or AKL.
Part of me thinks it would be somehow fitting that the high time aircraft would be the 747-400 that was nearly lost in a volcanic ash encounter when new.
Perhaps, someday, the high time aircraft will be one of those new-fangled carbon fiber 787s or A350s - carbon fiber doesn't fatigue the way aluminum does. But it'll be a couple decades before that can possibly happen.
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I don't know about Jetstar, but Lufthansa itself is flying some pretty ancient A320s, some approaching 30 years old.
ashtrays in seatbacks.
Seem to remember JS not Tiger...
