Fleet and maintenance
Buying or leasing aircraft, cabins, maintenance checks, condition and the end of an aircraft's life.
Getting aircraft
On Buy aircraft:
- lease new or used: a monthly rent and a deposit, delivered in about 30 days for a new lease;
- buy used: available now, priced by age and condition;
- order new from a manufacturer: cheaper per seat over its life, but you pay instalments before delivery and wait.
Choose by the routes you want: range, runway length, seats, and fuel burn per seat. A family of related types shares pilots and spares.
Cabins
Every passenger aircraft needs a cabin: classes, seat products and seat counts within the floor space and exit limit. More seats lower the cost per seat; better seats raise comfort, reviews and what passengers will pay. Business and first earn most on long and business-heavy routes. Design layouts on Cabins; fitting one takes the aircraft out of service for a while.
Maintenance
- A-checks happen overnight between flights.
- C-checks, D-checks and engine shop visits take an aircraft out for days or weeks. Book them ahead on the Calendar or the Fleet page, with an idle aircraft of the same family as cover so passengers never see a cancellation.
- Mechanics of your own (about 1.5 per aircraft) halve technical faults and cut check costs.
A Technical Director books checks and handles lease ends if you leave it to them.
Condition and age
Aircraft wear with use. Worn aircraft break down more, which means delays, repairs and spares needed. Older types burn more fuel. Leases end on a date: extend them, or return the aircraft (the Technical Director decides by whether it is still needed).