Flying days per week

[Corrie 2]

Hello

            Can anyone tell me how many days a week an aircraft can fly on relatively short trips before requiring a day’s maintenance? I am referring to something the size of an Airbus A321 operating in Europe. I understand some companies often do 3 trips a day.

Thank you.

Corrie

[scianoir 610]

Hi Corrie, 

Maintenance schedules will vary between airlines and aircraft types but, as I understand, most modern airliners will undergo checks / line maintenance daily between flights and they can fly for weeks before being taken out of service for what some airlines refer to as an 'A' check. The 'A' check is usually done every 300-500 flying hours (which would equate to a few weeks service) and is often carried out overnight or during scheduled down time. The heavier 'B' check occurs about every 6 months and can take a couple of days and the 'C' check, which is heavier still, usually takes place about every 2 years and can take a week or two. The heaviest check of all, the 'D' check, occurs every 6-10 years and can take a month or two as the aircraft is almost taken apart and rebuilt. As the aircraft gets older and depreciates in value, an airline might decide to retire it before the 'D' check becomes due as the cost of the maintenance check might outweigh the aircraft's value. As I've said schedules will vary between airlines and some airlines now incorporate elements of the 'B' check into their 'A' check schedule so that a bit of the 'B' check is done each time the aircraft goes in for an 'A' check and thus minimise down time. 

I should add that I am not in the airline business but this is my understanding of how it works in principle. I'm sure someone in the industry might be able to give you information on specific airline maintenance schedules or schedules for the A321 but I hope what I have described goes some way to answering your question.

Bill

[Patco Lch 1,465]

Very interesting. Look how long Delta has kept those MD80 flying.

[Corrie 2]

Thank you scianoir for a detailed answer, and just what I needed to know.

Happy flying, Regards

Corrie

[birdguy 3,943]

Another factor is how many times an airlliner has taken off and landed before it 'cycles' out.

Our airport is a graveyard for those airliners and we have a company at the airport that scraps them out.  A lot B747s are out there and even some 'newer' ones like B757s and 767s.

We used to have three active runways but the city got the FAA to authorize closing one down for additional cycled out aircraft storage space.

Noel 

[scianoir 610]

7 hours ago, PATCO LCH said:

Very interesting. Look how long Delta has kept those MD80 flying.

Yes - the result of good maintenance practice and probably a few 'D' checks where they were nearly rebuilt! I remember flying on some of the original 747s in the Virgin Atlantic fleet on transatlantic flights when they were already almost 30 years old. In those good old days when cockpit visits were permitted and having some connections with the Captain I got to do most of one trip from LGW to MIA in the jump seat and I can remember thinking at one stage while sitting there over mid Atlantic that the 747 I was on was nearly three times the age of a used car that I had just bought my wife - and that leaked through the windshield but had a hole in the floor as a result or corrosion that allowed the water out! Swiftly putting these thoughts out of my mind I was reassured that the flight deck crew (whose combined age was probably over 180 years -  there were three of them in those days before flight engineers became extinct) fly in these aircraft every day of the week so they must be happy about the maintenance!

 

5 hours ago, birdguy said:

Another factor is how many times an airlliner has taken off and landed before it 'cycles' out.

I didn't mention cycles but you are correct in that they also play a part in an airlines maintenance schedule as climbs and descents can take more of a toll on the aircraft structure and engines than flight in cruise. Usually short haul aircraft have an 'A' check at about 200-300 cycles depending on the manufacturer's and regulator's requirements but long haul airliners may be scheduled for checks after fewer cycles as their hours flown per cycle will be a lot more.

Bill