Airworthiness Directives: An Unexpected Twist in Aircraft Leasing

Imagine this: You have an aircraft on lease and operate this successfully, you pay 450,000 USD a month for the aircraft and an airworthiness directive is required in the near future. This was not scheduled when you leased the aircraft and now this is a requirement. You complete the inspection and need to repair post inspection – you loose a week of aircraft availability, the parts must be purchased and all maintenance costs covered.

ADs, issued by aviation authorities, address safety concerns and supersede even the Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP).

While seemingly disruptive and essential for airworthiness, they hold benefits for lessors and lessees alike, but also have a cost attached for this benefit and it is important to think about these costs.

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Hard Time Items: The Ticking Clock of Aircraft Leasing

The aircraft you see is largely a fuselage, but to make the aircraft function is a vast array of components, each playing a role in operation. Among these components are the “hard time” items, also known as time-controlled components or TCI and these are the ticking clock of aircraft leasing along along also with life limited parts. These parts have a predetermined serviceable lifespan, measured in flight hours, cycles, or calendar time, after which they must undergo mandatory maintenance tasks regardless of serviceability to maintain airworthiness.

Why Hard Time Items Matter in Leasing

In the world of aircraft leasing, hard time items become a pivotal consideration. Lessors and lessees must meticulously track and manage these components to ensure compliance with aviation regulations and maintain the aircraft’s value. Any oversight or lapse in maintenance can lead to costly consequences, including grounded aircraft, lease disputes, and potential safety hazards.

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Aircraft Management, Leasing & Balancing Short-Term Agility with Long-Term Vision

Aircraft Management, Leasing & Planning is where CAMO and Leasing Conditions meet, one regulated and focussed on airworthiness and the other focussed on asset protection and value return.

The Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) ensure continued aircraft airworthiness, and this is achieved using both between short-term maintenance needs and long-term airworthiness planning.

Short-Term Planning: Tracking and addressing immediate maintenance requirements in the shorter term (days, weeks or a month for example), this includes unscheduled maintenance, overseeing deferred maintenance items within their permissible limits, and scheduling reduced interval inspections.

Long-Term Planning: Beyond the immediate, the aircraft’s long-term maintenance strategy involves a comprehensive maintenance program that comply with regulatory requirements and manufacturer recommendations. This is important to understand as regulatory compliance does not mean lease compliance – these can be two very different standards.

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Aircraft Leasing: Navigating the Complexities – From Acquisition to End-of-Lease

The world of aircraft leasing is a dynamic arena, where airlines and lessors engage in intricate transactions to meet their fleet requirements and financial goals. Behind the scenes, processes and considerations ensures the acquisition, management, and eventual return of leased aircraft – it can be a seamless transaction or a drawn out and expensive affair depending on preparation, condition, lease agreements and in some cases external factors! Let’s delve into the critical stages of the aircraft leasing lifecycle, uncovering the challenges and expertise required at each step.

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Demonstration Flights under NCC or SPO Classification: Comprehensive Requirements and Considerations

There are comprehensive requirements and considerations for conducting demonstration flights classified as either Non-Commercial Complex (NCC) or Special Purpose Operations (SPO) under the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations.

EASA defines these flights in one of two main categories:

NCC Operations: Flights conducted for purposes other than commercial air transport, involving complex motor-powered aircraft.

SPO Operations: Flights conducted for specific purposes outside the scope of commercial air transport and aerial work, requiring special approval.

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