Cost of modernizing older aircraft justified by improved airspace access

摘要

While most earlier models of civil transport aircraft have years of life remaining in their engines and airframes, without avionics upgrades their operation in various areas is increasingly limited by new ATC requirements. The widespread introduction of new aircraft into civil airline fleets over the past several years has brought increased capacity and efficiency, new routes and air traffic procedures, and a wide variety of associated benefits to operators and the public at large. For some air carriers, however, this unprecedented expansion has also brought with it an unexpected area of concern: the increasing cost of operating two similar, but different generation, aircraft.