Maintenance and when to retire planes

[pseudoswede]

But the difference in price is usually so little that you don't notice it.

Incorrect. Maintenance costs increase exponentially with age, which will, in turn, affect more expensive planes quicker.

[1993matias]

But the maintenance price is calculated out of the cost of the plane, isn't it?

[pseudoswede]

But the maintenance price is calculated out of the cost of the plane, isn't it?

Yes it is, but it is then also multiplied by an exponential factor that involves age.

Thus, maintenance costs for more expensive planes increase much faster than inexpensive planes.

[1993matias]

Well, I'm partly right then

[TheKevinShow]

Ok, you guys said that big birds should be retired once a year (which really doesn't make sense - the maintenance formulae need to be fixed ASAP). Do 767-200ERs count as big birds? I've got several that are over 1 year old.

[pseudoswede]

The answer, like most of the kind of questions asked in this forum, is: it depends. How much money per month is it making? If the answer is high, then you may not have to replace it for 7-10 years.  If the answer is low, then you will need to replace it often. Therein also lies the second dilemma: have you made enough money with the plane so that when you sell it, can you recoup the remaining costs? This is especially important to consider in private worlds where planes are essentially useless on the aircraft market.

[TheKevinShow]

All of my 200ERs make at least 133K per IG day.

[TheKevinShow]

All of my 200ERs make at least 133K per IG day.

Bump. Is this enough to keep them around?

[Virgin Serbia]

All of my 200ERs make at least 133K per IG day.

Bump. Is this enough to keep them around?

That is not a lot. Get rid of your 767s. If anything, try some of the longest range 757-200s. I always make at least 200000 pr day, and at the moment all but one are over 250000.

How are you utilising the 767s? Are they operating full frequencies, or just 0.5s? 2x 0.5 to 2 destinations makes far more money than 1 full to 1 destination. Also avoid any ultra long routes. 5000 nm at most. Use 757s if possible.

[TheKevinShow]

I'm based in North America, and all of them are 2 x 0.5 to overseas/South America, and some of them fly additional short routes from their destinations via alliance routes/my base in Dublin.

[TheKevinShow]

You know, this would be a lot easier to figure out if the game had individual maintenance costs for each plane.

[Virgin Serbia]

I'd close the transpacific routes. They don't earn enough considering how many hours they take up. Focus on a lot of East coast - Europe flights with 767s to the biggest airports, and 757s to the smaller ones. Only Sao Paulo is big enough to justify a 767, the rest of the South American destinations are 757 only. 

[Mastafa]

I'd close the transpacific routes. They don't earn enough considering how many hours they take up. Focus on a lot of East coast - Europe flights with 767s to the biggest airports, and 757s to the smaller ones. Only Sao Paulo is big enough to justify a 767, the rest of the South American destinations are 757 only. 

Agree

[TheKevinShow]

I feel like I'd be losing out because the East Coast-Europe routes are a lot more populated, whereas the Transpacific routes are relatively empty.

What I'm really wondering is how old a 767-200ER has to be to warrant replacement if they're making that much money.

[Virgin Serbia]

I feel like I'd be losing out because the East Coast-Europe routes are a lot more populated, whereas the Transpacific routes are relatively empty.

What I'm really wondering is how old a 767-200ER has to be to warrant replacement if they're making that much money.

It should be payed off after 1.5 years at most. And for the east coast routes, use A310-300 or A330-200s. They are much cheaper in maint.

Nobody is flying transpacific because they can't make money on them.