That plane is 32 years old. Is 32 old for a plane still in service? Were they flying something with increased risk of some failure despite regular maintenance due to its age?
For a military craft? Not at all, because they get infinite money thrown at depot maintenance, inspections, and so forth. There are B-52H bombers still being flown that rolled off the line (at Boeing, no less) in 1960. Russia is still flying Tu-95s from around the same period, if not a little older.
A civilian craft, though? Uhhh, what do you mean change the brake pads? We gotta think of next quarter’s profits! Just gas it up and fly already!
Planes get essentially rebuilt a few times in their lives. If it’s a good plane, metals aren’t oxidizing, engines well cared for, they can go for a long time.
One big thing that took a lot of planes out of the sky was emissions modernization. New engine refit can cost nearly as much as a new plane.
That plane is 32 years old. Is 32 old for a plane still in service? Were they flying something with increased risk of some failure despite regular maintenance due to its age?
For a military craft? Not at all, because they get infinite money thrown at depot maintenance, inspections, and so forth. There are B-52H bombers still being flown that rolled off the line (at Boeing, no less) in 1960. Russia is still flying Tu-95s from around the same period, if not a little older.
A civilian craft, though? Uhhh, what do you mean change the brake pads? We gotta think of next quarter’s profits! Just gas it up and fly already!
For passenger planes yes (I think most are retired before 20-25), but freighters fly longer.
Well obviously they don’t
Planes get essentially rebuilt a few times in their lives. If it’s a good plane, metals aren’t oxidizing, engines well cared for, they can go for a long time.
One big thing that took a lot of planes out of the sky was emissions modernization. New engine refit can cost nearly as much as a new plane.