22 replies to this topic

[Duck]

Hi,

I was just looking at another airline in my world, which is currently in the year 2002, and I was interested to notice that they are operating around 150 De Havilland Comet 4Cs, and 350-ish 707-330Cs. While they are both amazing planes, they must be at least 25 years old, and there is no way that any modern country would allow them to operate, especially America, where the airline is based. Are there any plans to introduce a system that would not allow an airline to operate planes over say 20-25 years of age? Or something of the type?

[Duck]

Or maybe an option to retrofit with winglets could be introduced 

[Amadeus Inc.]

^ agree, should be based on economic not age

[Duck]

The other problem with 1-11s is that they didn't meet the noise restrictions. Many older aircraft suffer this problem. DC-3s only survive as cargo aircraft and only carry passengers in places with very lax civil aviation regulation.

[Uracco]

Yeah that PR was the best I've ever read! It made me say things like "Long live the Trident"

[Duck]

I suppose I'm not going to win here.... On the other hand I think DC-8s look amazing, and yes, that was a good PR. Though I don't think it would've gone down well with the hippies... 

[Hake.]

I personally hate airlines which have 40/50 y/o planes. Especially the Cl-44 and Tu-114. These people charge very low prices for these flights when in reality, no one wants to fly turboprop to the USA. And before anyone looks into it, My airline in R0 does have 1-11s and Cl-44s. I am waiting for particular Boeing and Embraer models.

[Stevphfeniey]

Even then, the CL-44 was only a passenger airliner at the specific request of one airline, and they took delivery of like 3 of them. Other than that it was all cargo. 

[the DOC]

Yeah fox.... disagree just because you want to keep your Dc-9s until 2030.....

[Hake.]

Well, the Cl-44 was never legally allowed to be flown in the USA or Europe even and yet some airlines in O2 keep on using 3000+ CL-44s in 2019! Not saying any names...

[Hake.]

And Canada only let them fly as cargo aircraft from 1976 on, I think. There are replacements aswell. The A319LR or B737ER do longer ranges at quicker speeds. I don't have much of a problem with start-up airlines using 30 y/o planes but once you have the money. Seriously, check O2's rankings and look at the biggest airlines planes!

[Duck]

I believe the problem with the CL-44 will be fixed in AE4, because passengers will evaluate flight times, and so would choose a jet aircraft for crossing the atlantic.... Hmm Concorde operators will always be filling their planes..... 

[Diverskii]

Aircraft retirements should not be forced at all. It should only be when the CEO decides it is uneconomical to fly them.

 

I decided to lease a Tu-104 in the R4 world to get started and it annoyed me so much with the high fuel and maintenance costs that I decided to pay the Early Termination fee to get rid of it. I see some people with fleets of 30 Tu-104s though so some people obviously like it. It should be up to the CEO when to retire them.

 

 

One question I have is, when an aircraft goes out of production, and another airline sells it, does it go onto the Used Market or does it just get destroyed? I ask because in R4 the DC-7 is finishing production soon and I can't lease anymore right now, but might want to in the future.

[Nexus8]

Aircraft retirements should not be forced at all. It should only be when the CEO decides it is uneconomical to fly them.

 

While in real life it is true that is not the case in AE...I can fly a Starliner in 2030 on a route with A350s....AE takes into no account the Age and Speed...If I was a passenger I would rather pay $700 to fly accross the Ocean in a A350 than a Starliner for both speed and security and confidence in the airplane I am flying.

 

I believe AE 4 should allow people to fly planes like DC-9s into the future but when an aircraft meets a certain age it needs to have a fee to renovate to modern standards (Flight Deeck etc)...This would force more airlines to just opt to use newer planes instead of paying alarge fee for inefficient aircraft.

[Diverskii]

While in real life it is true that is not the case in AE...I can fly a Starliner in 2030 on a route with A350s....AE takes into no account the Age and Speed...If I was a passenger I would rather pay $700 to fly accross the Ocean in a A350 than a Starliner for both speed and security and confidence in the airplane I am flying.

 

I believe AE 4 should allow people to fly planes like DC-9s into the future but when an aircraft meets a certain age it needs to have a fee to renovate to modern standards (Flight Deeck etc)...This would force more airlines to just opt to use newer planes instead of paying alarge fee for inefficient aircraft.

 

Yes absolutely, I'm new so I'm not sure how it works, but as planes get older: Maintenance should be higher, taxes (landing fees?) should be higher, and like you said, forced upgrades to comply with FAA rules. That way CEOs will have to decide whether it is worth it. 

 

A cool option would be being able to preserve an aircraft, so in you fleet list it says like owned, leased, on order, preserved. Just a little reminder of a plane you used to operate.

[Nexus8]

Yes absolutely, I'm new so I'm not sure how it works, but as planes get older: Maintenance should be higher, taxes (landing fees?) should be higher, and like you said, forced upgrades to comply with FAA rules. That way CEOs will have to decide whether it is worth it. 

 

A cool option would be being able to preserve an aircraft, so in you fleet list it says like owned, leased, on order, preserved. Just a little reminder of a plane you used to operate.

Well FAA rule and Regualtions are a bit far fetched for AE...

 

maintence Fees rise....But in AE it really doesnt make a difference.

 

I was thinking that we start collecting the Predicted Service life of an aircraft and within fives years of the end of its life the plane needs to go through major "updating" or else it will be rendered un usable.

[Duck]

I like what nexus is saying but I think fox might not like it 

[Sheepy]

As much as I'd like to be constructive, placing a hard limit on age of planes is a silly idea which I cannot support in the slightest.

[Stevphfeniey]

I thought aircraft had limits like "This airframe is good for 135000 hours" 

[Duck]

Well yes, but engines definitely need replacing or in the very least major overhauling at least once every twenty years or so, and to go back to my original reason for this post, good luck getting replacement parts for a Comet engine in 2002