"If you think about it, there's really no such thing as an aeroplane; it's just a collection of parts coming together at a particular time and taking flight." So said an airline industry leader some years ago - and yes, if you do think about it, he's right. When looking out over an airport apron, one has to describe the units seen on the ground as aircraft. The executive's point rings true when one considers that while many parts, components and modules will remain relatively constant, a large number of them are unlikely to be the same when the 'collection' takes to the air, say, a month later - sometimes just days later.
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