Airliner life/cycles

[cornwallis]

What are the life /cycle limits for a modern airliner such as the B757 or the A300?Does anybody have a link where I can find information for a specific airframe?

[Grunf]

Hello.

The numbers are scattered for your question. It can go as low as 15,000 GAG cycles (GAG = Ground-Air-Ground) for a business jet through 25,000 for a regional jet, through 50,000 for a 757 type. So, as you can see it is all over.

It is highly dependent on typical flight profile (designed), a real flight profile and so many smaller things that these are just general numbers.

Of course, there is a lot of variance in these numbers depending on the application. The above number are for transport a/c not military.

As for the references I guess Google is the word.

Cheers

[SMOC]

I've worked on a 747 classic with 130,000 cycles ANA domestic or SR as they were known.

[Golden Rivet]

It normally comes down to how much you're willing to pay to keep it maintained.

[Grunf]

SMOC, as GR says it is up to you and your bean counters how long you want to fly it (see B52).

As for 47 the DSO (design service objective) is 20,000 cycles. Now since you've mentioned it was a short hopper (ANA) this might change a few thing since a flight profile for that model was quite different then for the regular fleet.

Cheers

[jettison valve]

cornwallis,
you´ll find the design service goals in the ALI (airworthiness limitation items) documentation of the airplane type, for instance in the MRBR (maintenance review board report).
A340 classics, depending on the weight variant, have a DSG of 80.000FH / 20.000FC (A340-600 100.000FH / 16.000FC), if I remember correctly. Airbus just started to extend the DSG of the classics, such as they have done on A300s.
regards,
j. v.

[glhcarl]

The FAA on April 18, 2006 posted an NPRM in the Federal Register with a list of proposed Life Cycle for all airliners. You can find it by doing a Goggle search for "NPRM Airliner Life Cycles Federal Register April 18, 2006. The NPRM comment period was just extended for 90 days.

By the way a A-300 service goal is 48,000 cycles a 757 is 50,000 cycles and the 747 is 20,000 cycles. All these can be increased but it requires manfactures provide addition inspections and modifications that must be incorporated.

There is a web site that provides details on the work required to extend the A-300's life to 60,000 cycles it is:
www.galaxyscientific.com/agingaircraft/pdfs/5b/5b3d.pdf[/url]

[FE Hoppy]

If you find the list have a look at the l1011 numbers! they don't make em like they used to.

[Grunf]

If my memory serves me well L1011 was a hopper, quite a short one.

Its flight profile was for short hops, about 3 hrs, average, I think with a very high cycle rate (maybe even > 100,000).

Cheers

[vapilot2004]

Airbus, Boeing and McD DSO/LCF Figures

DSO Cycles (Design Service Objective) - Not limited to with prescribed service checks and increased inspection frequency.

Boeing:

707 20,000
727 60,000
737 75,000 Classics
737 75,000 NG
747 20,000
757 50,000
767 50,000
777 40,000

Per Boeing - "Structure is designed to exceed the DSO with modest increase in maintenance costs"

In Service and Test Fatigue Figures:

707 50,000
727 170,000
737 150,000 Classics
737 225,000 NG
747 60,000 (744)
757 100,000
767 100,000
777 120,000

Mcdonnell Douglas DSO:

DC-9 40,000
MD-80 50,000
MD-90 60,000
MD-11 20,000

Airbus LCF:

A300 48,000
A300 B4 40,000
A300 B42 34,000
A300 B46 30,000
A310-200 40,000
A310-300 35,000
A319 48,000
A320 48,000
A321 48,000
A330 40,000
A340 20,000


For the DC-9 series including the MD-80 and MD-90 the major fatigue life cycle figure has been demonstrated at no less than 208,000 cycles.
Mr. Douglas company did indeed produce some of the worlds most durable aircraft - many of which are still lumbering safely about today.

Anyone care to post actual Tri-Star figures ? My memory agrees with you all that the Tri-Star was indeed a high cycle machine as can be the A300 series with proper maintenance and care.

Cheers !

Edited for mystery spelling error

[glhcarl]

L-1011 design life goal is 36.000 flights, one half of the 72,000 test cycles put on the fatigue test airframe. The highest cycle L-1011 had 37,709 cycles. The highest cycle L-1011 still registered has 30,758 cycles.

[vapilot2004]

Thanks Glhcarl !

Wasn't the BAC One Eleven also a very high cycle machine ?

[glhcarl]

Originally Posted by vapilot2004

Thanks Glhcarl !

Wasn't the BAC One Eleven also a very high cycle machine ?

BAC 1-11 (all models) 85,000 cycles. Third higest behind the DC-9 (all models) 100,000 cycles and the F28/F70/F100 (all models) 90,000 cycles.

[barit1]

JL were operating the DC-10-40 on domestic routes - probably < 1 hr. avg. JL & NH both operate(d) 747SR's on similar routes. Very high cycle count, but at light weight and (in some cases) derated engines.

[FougaMagister]

I remember reading recently that the ATR 42/72 may see its number of cycles increased from 75,000 to 105,000 if the manufacturer gets approval. That would mean ATRs being around for quite a while!

Cheers

[glhcarl]

Originally Posted by FougaMagister

I remember reading recently that the ATR 42/72 may see its number of cycles increased from 75,000 to 105,000 if the manufacturer gets approval. That would mean ATRs being around for quite a while!

Cheers

The NPRM only applies to aircraft with a MTGW of 75,000 pounds or more. The ATR 42/72 don't make the grade.

[FougaMagister]

Who said I was talking about the FAA? It's (so far) a manufacturer-led project which will be submitted to the EASA.