To mark Hawker Beechcraft's 80thanniversary, the company invited aircraft owners to bring their machines to its Europe and Middle East headquarters at Hawarden Airport, Broughton in England's north-west, last Friday (7 September).
The company's press-release about the event contained a claim which, if it is accurate, is remarkable: "Two thirds of all manufactured Hawker Beechcraft aircraft are still in operation today, underlining why it is such a popular choice amongst corporate and private owners alike."
Think cars for a moment. No long-established car manufacturer could make a claim like that.
Here's a challenge: think of any consumer durable, vehicle or any other product of which a manufacturer that has been in business more than 80 years could say that 66% of all the devices they ever manufactured are still in use. Then reply to this blog entry and tell us.
I suspect the other long-established manufacturers of GA aircraft like Cessna and Piper may be able to make claims that are at least similar. A glance at parked aeroplanes on the pan at any small airfield tells you that aircraft owners don't throw their craft away when they reach 10, 20, or even 30 years old.
It's impressive in a way, but a bit sad too, especially for the manufacturers of new aeroplanes. Is the average age of GA pilots, especially active leisure and sport pilots, on an upward trend too? Maybe I'd better find out.
on September 12, 2012 1:07 PM | Reply
High-end mechanical watches. I think most Patek Philippes are still in use, although 'in use' might be locked up in a safe.
on September 12, 2012 2:36 PM | Reply
I would be interested to hear more about the trend of the average age of GA pilots, I myself am a 28 year old american expat and aviation enthusiast who would love be in the GA pilots community if I was still in the states but i find the cost too steep here to earn my PPL.
on September 12, 2012 5:13 PM | Reply
Subaru at one time advertised that 90 percent of its cars were still on the road, as I remember. Yes, I know, there are no 1936 Subarus, but still...
I suspect Rolls-Royce could equal or exceed Beech's claim, but I do get your point.
on September 12, 2012 5:18 PM | Reply
Re. the age of pilots, I am a mentor/instructor in the U. S. in a flying program run by our local chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen. Most of it is ground school and general STEM education, but we also have a 172 and several instructors (military and corporate crewmembers) who are part of our chapter.
Flight instruction and aircraft use (wet) is FREE, yet of our 17 students ranging in age from 13 to 18, we can only persuade two to actually fly. There are many other things they'd rather be doing on a weekend...
For my part, I'm 76.
on September 13, 2012 10:27 AM | Reply
I believe over 65% of all Rolls Royce cars ever made are still in use. As for Stephan's students who won't fly.....there must be something wrong with them!
on September 13, 2012 10:50 AM | Reply
As Stephan says, they have other things they'd rather be doing at the weekend.
I wonder whether the weekend's a competition between "flying" an F-16 on Microsoft Flight Sim compared with the relatively gentle pace at which things happen on a real Cessna 172. But I'm in my sixties, so what would I know?
I recall flying to earn my PPL when I was about 20. Microsoft cannot reproduce what it feels to be up there, immersed in the elements, and often battling with them.
The only thing that competed - at that age - for my weekend time was sex. But post-PPL I found that offering a girl a right hand seat in my club Cherokee made pretty sure I got both.
on September 13, 2012 1:55 PM | Reply
Only 78 years:
http://www.kipcaravans.nl/en/Company/Our-company/10-reasons-for-a-Kip.aspx
"More than 70% of our caravans are still on the road
We’ve been making caravans since 1934. More than 70% of the caravans that have left our factory are still on the road. When you buy a Kip you are buying life-long camping pleasure."
on September 13, 2012 3:33 PM | Reply
What do you know David, in your sixties ?. It would appear-prima facie-quite a bit more than this Idaho hot and high wing tail-dragger in his seventies, in Idaho last month. All 4 occupants are extremely lucky to be alive. You would think that at his chronological age, he would have known better in general and in particular considering an elevation of 6000+ feet @ ambient 30C+, yielding a density altitude of 9000+ feet. No more than 15-20 seconds rolling should have been enough to reject, not the approximately 55 sec he took to take-off!!! That hot & high Lesson 101, would be challenging enough solo. But with 3 other guys and their wilderness packs, this barnstormer’s best trick would be to make the plane appear to climb because of the earth’s curvature on an ISA day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDu0jYiz-v8&feature=youtu.be
To even attempt such a feat, this senior citizen cannot have been long down from the trees himself...QED!
on September 14, 2012 5:34 PM | Reply
David, its close to the border but Hawarden Airport is correctly described as being in Wales' north-east, not England's north-west.
At one time LandRover could claim about 70% build were still in use, but with the increse in production in recent years I doubt that's still true.