Flying an Aging Airplane

In 1985, I purchased a then-39-year-old 1946 Cessna 120. Several times my friends asked, "Is it safe to fly a 40-year-old airplane?" Their question was based on perceptions of the typical condition of 40-year-old cars, tools and houses. My answer was always a version of this: Properly maintained, a 40-year-old airplane is as safe as one much newer. Unlike cars and houses, airplanes are inspected annually and maintained to a high standard. As long as the pilot puts the time and money into it, and takes it to a mechanic experienced in the peculiarities of the type, it is indeed safe to fly a 40-year-old airplane. Fast-forward to 2008. According to AOPA, the average piston-powered general aviation airplane is more than 35 years old. Leisure suits, my high school graduation and the end of mass production of light propeller airplanes-1978 to 1979-were that long ago. Unlike when I bought my Cessna, now its not unusual at all for a light airplane to be 40 years old; 50- and even 60-year-old piston airplanes are increasingly common. Are airplanes this old still safe? What does it take to safely operate aging airplanes?

Key Takeaways:

• The safety of older airplanes is primarily determined by rigorous maintenance and their "fatigue exposure"—how they've been used and stored—rather than their calendar age, a fact supported by NTSB accident data.
• Significant challenges for owners of aging aircraft include the high cost and dwindling availability of specialized parts, and the scarcity of mechanics truly expert in specific legacy models.
• Ensuring continued safe operation requires proactive measures like "super-annual" inspections by model-specific experts, leveraging resources from type clubs, and diligent pilot vigilance, with electrical wiring being the only component truly sensitive to calendar age.

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