On average an aircraft is operable for 35 years and then it will start to lose its airworthiness. But in reality, there are many factors upon which the life span of your aircrafts depends. The aircrafts exhaust, engine and other components are responsible for its lifespan. If they are maintained and are kept in good condition the aircraft might be able to be in the air for about 40 years.
Aircrafts are expensive and therefore nobody wants to shorten the lifespan of their airplane. But since many people are unaware of the factors that affect the lifespan of their aircraft they end up bearing a huge loss. So, if you are planning to purchase an aircraft read this blog post to learn what factors can affect the lifespan of your airplane.
Pressurization Cycles Determine Your Aircrafts Age
The airline industry uses a concept called a pressurization cycle to keep tabs on the effective lifespan of an airplane. The number of years does not only contribute to the aircrafts age; rather the pressurization cycles help to calculate the lifespan of the aircraft.
Pressurization cycles refer to the amount of time that a plane is kept under pressure during flight, which over time can cause wear and tear to its structure. This pressure affects the fuselage, wings and other engine components of the aircraft. With time this stress affects the aircraft's structure and makes flight dangerous.
So, airlines keep track of their aircrafts pressurization cycles to help them determine the airworthiness of their airplane. Pressurization cycles are a major factor that affect the lifespan of the aircraft, the more an aircraft is kept under pressure the more chances of it retiring earlier.
Maintenance Of The Aircraft
Similarly to all other vehicles and machines, aircrafts also need maintenance to increase their lifespan. Most of the time an aircraft's lifespan is reduced due to maintenance not being done. If you want your aircraft to have more air time, you will need to keep checking its parts and send it for regular inspections.
If your aircrafts parts are changed regularly and the aircraft is properly maintained, then it is guaranteed that your airplane will have more airworthiness for a longer time. If you delay your aircrafts maintenance it will reduce the lifespan of your airplane. Proper maintenance plays an important role in keeping your aircraft in working condition.
Environmental Factors That Affect The Aircraft’s Lifespan
Apart from maintenance and pressurization cycles, the environment where the aircraft is parked will also affect its lifespan. If the aircraft is parked in a place where there is moisture and humidity there are more chances of rust and corrosion. Due to high moisture levels the body of your aircraft can start to rust, reducing the lifespan of the airplane. So, it's better that you park your aircraft in a hot and dry place. This will protect the body of your aircraft from rust and corrosion and will increase its lifespan.
Final Words
To increase your airplane's lifespan you need to make sure that the parts installed in your aircraft are manufactured from a professional manufacturer. Products that are manufactured by professionals don’t malfunction as often and end up increasing the lifespan of your aircraft.
About Acorn Welding
Acorn Welding is Canada's largest aircraft exhaust and engine mount repair company. We provide not only professional services for aircraft part welding but also offer high-quality aircraft parts. For more information you can visit our website or contact us.
