Aircraft age limit

[mp81]

Didn't see any recent posts on the matter so I thought Id ask again. What is the reason for the age limit of 35 on aircraft? Why can't I fly a well maintained 762 for 40 years?

[mp81]

FedEx flies 40 yo MD-10s

[Andre090904]

I guess it's for game mechanic reasons. I mean in that case I'd fly 70 yr old NAMC, 60 yr old DC9 etc. Why should I even do transitions if I can just keep flying my fleet forever? It would be quite a boring game to be honest. Anyways, maintenance costs get really really high after the 4th D-Check and I would not recommend flying any aircraft for than that. If you can renew your fleet with the same type, go ahead. If not, modernize with a newer type. That's part of the game and makes it a lot more interesting if you ask me.

[mp81]

Asked for a technical answer. Not an opinion.

I guess it's for game mechanic reasons. I mean in that case I'd fly 70 yr old NAMC, 60 yr old DC9 etc. Why should I even do transitions if I can just keep flying my fleet forever? It would be quite a boring game to be honest. Anyways, maintenance costs get really really high after the 4th D-Check and I would not recommend flying any aircraft for than that. If you can renew your fleet with the same type, go ahead. If not, modernize with a newer type. That's part of the game and makes it a lot more interesting if you ask me.

[[SC] - King Kong]

Depreciation is linear to the 35 year limit but I see no reason why we could not fly a f27 till 2030 if we maintain it well. I guess at some point the MX becomes too high to be economically be viable but should not limit airlines not to fly them.

I however also understand the depreciation curve and don't think we should touch that. Maybe after 35 years the value of the frame is about the value of the iron (so a 10k's at most)?

[Tha_Ape]

Andre gave you the technical in-game answer: to make the game more dynamic, and somewhat force players to move.
Maintenance price, as Andre and KK point out, is just another way to force you to make these moves.

[schro]

Depreciation is for 25 years, not 35. They hold the same book value after that point and capital expenses like D checks are immediately expenses instead of depreciated. Game doesn't let them fly past 35 years. There's no good reason for the limit to exist other than it being a game play decision by the powers that be.

However, by the mid to late 20s in age, maintenance costs go parabolic, so by the time you get to the mid 30s in age, maintenance costs are untenable - you can often buy a 20 year old example of the type for less than the cost of heavy maintenance on a 34 year old plane. I personally disagree with the maintenance curve going like that, but that's how the game works.

Cliff notes: limit is 35 years for flying but it becomes uneconomical before that due to maintenance costs.

[DanDan]

well, the maintenance costs lead to the weird situation that people order the same planes over again to replace the 16 to 24 year old ones they are already using.
a third dcheck (at 24 years) sometimes costs more than buying the same plane new; there is almost no situation justifying a third dcheck.

if i plan to fly a plane for more than 24 years, i replace a first one before the second dcheck and then get a new one.

[MikeS]

Asked for a technical answer. Not an opinion.

This is a forum where players help each other out with information on the game.
Asking a question and then complaining about the answer is not cool.

Mike

[Talentz]

35yrs is a system design limit - Sami has held his ground on movement from that so far. (There's no real good argument on why it should, anyway)

- Further Cliff notes: You can make money flying a 34.99yr aircraft; Not all types can and if carrying pax is your main source of revenue, it wont work...


Talentz

[mp81]

This was the proper answer to the question. No real reason other than it's a design limit by Sami. Everyone else that chimed in with the mystical maintenance super cloud that kills planes at 35 years, I thank you as well.

35yrs is a system design limit - Sami has held his ground on movement from that so far. (There's no real good argument on why it should, anyway)

- Further Cliff notes: You can make money flying a 34.99yr aircraft; Not all types can and if carrying pax is your main source of revenue, it wont work...


Talentz

[Andre090904]

This was the proper answer to the question. No real reason other than it's a design limit by Sami. Everyone else that chimed in with the mystical maintenance super cloud that kills planes at 35 years, I thank you as well.

Guess I'll just ignore you from now on. I take my time, give you the answer to your question and all you do is being a jerk. No, thanks.

[mp81]

Your answer to my question was that flying old aircraft is "boring"

Guess I'll just ignore you from now on. I take my time, give you the answer to your question and all you do is being a jerk. No, thanks.

[Tha_Ape]

Your answer to my question was that flying old aircraft is "boring"

Mmm... Please re-read Andre's initial answer, Andre's 1st sentence: "I guess it's for game mechanic reasons". And then the explanation.

KK, Schro, Talentz, Dani and me just gave you different perspective on this matter.

Wanna be blind? Fine.

[deovrat]

He just wants to be selectively blind when its convenient to him.

[mp81]

In the interest of maintaining civility, I apologize. Wasn't trying to start such a disturbance. Lets play on.

[gazzz0x2z]

Further Cliff notes: You can make money flying a 34.99yr aircraft; Not all types can and if carrying pax is your main source of revenue, it wont work...

mmmh, I'm trying to imagine a 34.99 years old Baade. Or IL12. Argh.

[MikeS]

mmmh, I'm trying to imagine a 34.99 years old Baade. Or IL12. Argh.

... ahhh...the secret dreams of AWS players...