Aircraft Condition?

[Karl]

The concept of "Aircraft Condition" baffles me!     

I understand that aircraft condition is based on a number of statistics (age, checks, hours, landings, etc.).

I have been using the used aircraft market to expand my fleet.  I try to select the newest aircraft with the lowest hours and in the best condition.  I have found, however, that even when selecting a newer aircraft in 100% condition that it may need a C or D check in the very near future.  How is this possible?

Is there some posted procedure for determining aircraft condition?

[Infinity]

C and D Checks run on a fixed schedule that cannot be changed other than manually doing the checks before they are due.

The condition of the aircraft has, as you rightly guessed, to do with the general maintenance condition. There is no need of a C or D check to maintain a very high percentage of condition on the aircraft.
Usually in the beginning of a new month, after all the B Checks are done, I have 95+% condition throughout my fleet, including the more aged part of it.
However, 100% can only be achieved by manually ordering a repair to full condition and not using it after. That does not automatically include a C or D Check.

[madflava13]

C and D Checks run on a fixed schedule that cannot be changed other than manually doing the checks before they are due.

The condition of the aircraft has, as you rightly guessed, to do with the general maintenance condition. There is no need of a C or D check to maintain a very high percentage of condition on the aircraft.
Usually in the beginning of a new month, after all the B Checks are done, I have 95+% condition throughout my fleet, including the more aged part of it.
However, 100% can only be achieved by manually ordering a repair to full condition and not using it after. That does not automatically include a C or D Check.

If you manually schedule a B check ahead of schedule, will the plane stay on that new monthly schedule? Somehow all my planes are scheduled within 3 days of each other, and it's crushing my bottom line at the end of the month. I'd like to spread them out and this seems like it might do the trick...

[Infinity]

Why do you want to spread them out? A B-check has to be done once a month. What does it matter when exactly they are done? In the end of the month, it doesnt matter.
The money will have been deducted from your account in the end. It won't change your balance to do them on day 15.

[madflava13]

I'm not a big airline yet, so having basically my entire fleet laid up in maintenance for 10-14 days is bothersome.

[Sanabas]

A B-check is only 24 hours. And no, doing one early won't change things, it still gets done at the end of each month.

The 10-14 day checks are C-checks, and yes, doing those early will mean that they will stay roughly on that schedule, as a C-check is done 12 months after the last C-check ended.

[madflava13]

Sanabas,
Thanks for the correction - I meant to inquire about C checks, not B Checks. And thanks for the clarification.

[Karl]

Back to the topic of this entry:  So what specifically causes some aircraft to be a higher percentage of condition than others?

Why even list such a concept on the charts?