Aircraft retirement tsunami - 1,000 aircraft a year to leave service by 2023

The aviation industry is facing an aircraft retirement Tsunami," Richard Brown ICF International Principal told delegates attending the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association's (AFRA's) Annual Meeting, taking place in Washington. According to the consultant the level of aircraft retirements will reach a stunning 1,000 aircraft a year within a decade. 

A rapid increase in the number of aircraft reaching the end of their service life is due primarily to cyclical rather than structural reasons, claimed Brown. "The combination of demographics as aircraft reach the end of their economic life, low interest rates, relatively high fuel prices and the introduction of new models is causing the retirement of unprecedented numbers of aircraft, while new technology and OEM production rates are also exacerbating aircraft retirements," said Brown.

Julie Felgar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Managing Director of Environment Strategy, told AFRA delegates that a "wave of aircraft retirements is coming," with 41 percent of today's fleet leaving service in the next 20 years as airlines procure more fuel-efficient airplanes.

"There is a significant opportunity for companies to dismantle and recycle these retired airplanes to the highest standard rather than parking them in the desert," Felgar said. "This is one of the reasons that AFRA's Accreditation process is becoming the industry standard of choice, as it is a recognised guarantor of quality service and sustainable environmental best practices for aircraft dismantling and recycling."

Martin Fraissignes, AFRA's Executive Director, said: "We have had some success in strengthening industry recognition of AFRA's Accreditation. The broader aviation community, OEMs, airlines and lessors have indicated in aircraft disassembly tender documents that they look favourably on applicants conducting teardowns to AFRA standards. But we still have work to do, to ensure that AFRA Accreditation becomes the industry standard."

AFRA has recently worked with the UK Environment Agency in helping them reach a position regarding the treatment of retired aircraft and is fast becoming a preferred reference source on the best environmental practices for end-of-service aircraft disassembly.

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FAA orders Boeing to protect 737s from computer hackers

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering Boeing to modify the technology aboard late-model 737 aircraft to prevent computer hackers from damaging the planes. The order published Friday in the Federal Register is effective immediately, although the agency allowed a comment period until July 21. The special conditions are urgent because the FAA is trying to avoid slowing down design and delivery of new planes, according to the agency. Doug Alder, a Boeing spokesman, said the special conditions will institutionalize actions that the manufacturer was already taken or planned, in line with similar protections for the 747-8, 777 and 787.

"They are a normal part of the process for introducing new technology or design features not previously addressed by regulation," Alder said. "Special conditions are one way regulators and manufacturers work together to ensure that commercial airplanes are safe and secure."

The latest FAA order applies to 737-700, -700C, -800, -900ER, -7, -8 and -9 aircraft, one of the most popular types of planes for the last 20 years. The special conditions apply to these aircraft because their technology is connected more thoroughly than other planes with computer networks outside the aircraft, making the 737 more vulnerable, according to FAA. The plane's technology "may allow the exploitation of network security vulnerabilities resulting in intentional or unintentional destruction, disruption, degradation, or exploitation of data, systems and networks critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane," the FAA said.

The order from Jeffrey Duven, manager of FAA's certification services, calls for Boeing to "ensure that the airplanes' electronic systems are protected from access by unauthorized sources external to the plane, including those possibly caused by maintenance activity."

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