What Will It Take To Get Parked Aircraft Back Into Service?

Ask the Editors: The Aviation Week Network invites our readers to submit questions to our editors and analysts. We’ll answer them, and if we can’t, we will reach out to our wide network of experts for advice.

What will it take to get parked aircraft back into service?

Air Transport and Safety Editor Sean Broderick responds:

Airlines are consulting with aircraft and engine original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for specific guidance, because most maintenance manuals do not cover how to idle aircraft/engines for a short period of time (30-90 days). 

Typical maintenance manuals’ procedures for parking aircraft are focused on long-term storage, which most airlines aren’t doing, because they plan to reactivate their fleets as soon as possible, with the exception of aircraft they might retire. Once these procedures are in hand, it’s about having technical manpower that is able to follow a task card and operate aircraft systems. 

Some supplier opportunities exist—engine covers are hard to find, for instance, so operators are turning to foam inserts and other options—but that is more about keeping aircraft out of service longer versus bringing them back out. 

Another note: Some operators are keeping aircraft on “active maintenance” programs until they understand what their fleet needs will be post-pandemic. Basically, this treats an airframe as if it’s flying even though it is not. Regular maintenance intervals such as daily and weekly checks are performed, but there may be some manpower issues, especially with operators that do not have sufficient tech ops talent in-house.