Is there a risk in buying old planes that airlines no longer need?
Question: The New England Patriots just bought 2 used Boeing 767s for $20 million each. Considering that a new 767 costs well over $100M, isn’t buying a used 767 for $20M like buying an old car that could have problems? Second, isn’t there a pilot shortage right now? So the weekend gig pilots that the Patriots hire, can’t be among the best or they’d already be full-time employed, right?
— Bob MacKay, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
A: A well maintained airplane has a nearly unlimited life. There are several Boeing 767s that flew a career with an airline and were refurbished into corporate service (such as the ones the Patriots purchased) . They are in very good shape, not at all like buying an old car — unless you are referring to a fully restored classic car.
I have not heard who will be flying the 767s, but there are some very highly qualified pilots available. Some who have retired early can be among the best.
Q: Can you explain the maintenance phases that aircraft experience? I hear the aircraft are almost entirely rebuilt sometimes. When does that occur?
— Russ Cherry, Va.
A: The simple answer to your question is that airplanes undergo daily checks, then a weekly or light check, and occasionally a heavy check where they are nearly taken apart. Depending on the amount of flying and operating environment, heavy checks occur around every five years. There are many variables, and most airliners are on progressive checks where maintenance is performed over a brief time (a day or two) during the year. This allows the airplane to remain in service for more days while having the necessary maintenance performed. Scheduling airline aircraft maintenance is a very complex task. Under proper maintenance, safe operation can continue for airplanes that are decades old.
Q: How many hours of flying time before a normal Boeing 737 is retired?
— James H. Jones, Plumas Lake, Calif.
A: B737s are flying with many thousands of hours. Retirement is usually due to new airplanes being more fuel efficient and cheaper to maintain, not due to the flying time. I have seen older 737s with 70,000-plus hours still flying.
Q: I’ve been listening to a UK radio show about a fictional airline called Cabin Pressure, and they repeatedly mention that their plane is “essentially held together by duct tape and hope.” I know something like that wouldn’t actually be cleared to fly, but I was wondering how much a commercial plane can take and how long, on average, it can serve before it stops being air-worthy?
— Ari, Boston
A: If the maintenance is done properly, airplanes can last nearly indefinitely. Thirty-year-old airliners are not uncommon. The DC-3 is still in service in some parts of the world; it was designed in the 1930s. Jets from the ’60s are flying.
John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems.
