From: <damiross2@attbi.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 2:38 PM > Okay, here's my mantra about "old" aircraft. > The aircraft is x years old - that doesn't mean it ain't > a good aircraft. There's a good possibility that there > isn't a single piece of original equipment on the > aircraft because of all of the major overhauls done on > it over the years. > The aircraft is fully depreciated, allowing it to have > some financial operating efficiencies that a new > aircraft doesn't have. In other words, it may use more > fuel but other operating costs are less and offset the > fuel costs. > <snip> If it doesn't have structural damage that has not been adequately repaired. It is my view that both the Taiwanese B747-200 and the American A300-600 probably came apart because of damage suffered decades earlier. Gerry http://home.columbus.rr.com/gfoley http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/pollock/263/egypt/egypt.html