===== General information about the FTW aircraft fleet ===== ==== Which aircraft are used in FTW? ==== Fly The World covers almost the entire range of civil aviation in its current expansion stage. The range of aircraft used is correspondingly large. In addition, there are transport orders from the military sector, which expands the spectrum to include corresponding cargo aircraft (e.g. C160 Transall, C-17 Globemaster or C130 Hercules). Military fighter jets, on the other hand, are not used at all, since they can carry almost no payload and therefore regularly cost more money than they bring in, unless you know how to "tap" a few new oil wells with them. In addition, old classics from the military sector can also be used. The same applies to all rotorcraft (helicopters), which are also included in FTW. ==== Rent, lease and buy ==== There are three methods to at least get into possession of an aircraft. The simplest way is to rent an aircraft by the hour for a comparatively short period of time. Renting an aircraft includes both the aircraft itself, its maintenance and the crew (except for the pilot). The renter therefore only has to take care of the marketing or utilization of the aircraft and the execution of the flight as PIC (Pilot in Command). In addition to the aircraft rental, he also pays for fuel costs, handling charges and ground handling fees. At the moment it is only possible to rent aircraft of the license class PPL from the FTW stock. Larger aircraft must be purchased, released for hire by the owner, or leased. In reality, this renting by the hour is most similar to **ACMI leasing**. ACMI stands for Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance. The term wet lease is also commonly used, as it covers a similar range of services, but is usually long-term. In ACMI leasing, payment is made per block hour. The block time is the period between starting the engines at the departure airport and shutting them down at the destination airport. Exactly this time is also relevant in Fly The World for the calculation of the rent. If an aircraft is needed for a longer period of time (we are talking about several weeks or months), **Wet-Leasing** will be available as an option in one of the next FTW versions. For this, however, a lessor must first be found who calls the desired machine his property and is willing to let it to the lessee in return for a monthly leasing rate. One important difference: in FTW, maintenance and repair costs are borne by the lessee under wet leasing. The third way to gain ownership of an aircraft is through purchase. Although owning an aircraft may seem particularly desirable to most pilots, each of the methods mentioned here - i.e., including the acquisition of ownership - is associated with certain advantages and disadvantages. ** Advantages of renting (ACMI)**: The machine can be rented as needed, and usually close to where it will be used. There are no fixed costs. Renting therefore grants the pilot a high degree of flexibility. ** Disadvantages of renting (ACMI)**: The aircraft is not permanently available to the pilot. It is possible that it is being used by another pilot while you are renting it yourself. In addition, there are the higher variable costs as a result of the rental price to be paid. In addition, the owner can also block a machine so that it can no longer be rented by other pilots. In the event of a lockout, it is only available to the pilots of the corresponding airline. ** Advantages of wet leasing**: In leasing, an aircraft is leased to the pilot or lessee for an extended period of time at a fixed price. The conditions (e.g. price, duration, flying hours) are subject to contractual freedom and can therefore be determined individually. The pilot therefore does not have to fear that someone will "snatch" the aircraft from under his nose. ** Disadvantages of wet leasing**: In leasing, the pilot has to bear at least some of the costs associated with aircraft ownership. It is common for the lessee to have repairs and checks performed at their own expense. In addition, as leasing costs increase, so do the lessee's fixed costs. ** Advantages of ownership**: Owners of an aircraft are free to decide whether they want to rent, lease or use the aircraft themselves. The aircraft is available to them at any time and there are no rental or leasing costs. **Disadvantages of ownership**: In a word, fixed costs. If you own an aircraft, you also get to deal with AOC (Aircraft Ownership Costs). In FTW, these consist of maintenance and repair costs, parking fees, and the cost of regular checks. For older aircraft, the cost of an engine replacement may also be added, if applicable. ==== Types, models and configurations ==== Fly The World distinguishes between aircraft types, models and configurations. In the types section, different versions are also recorded - if available - if they result in significant differences in weights or fuel capacity. For example, Beechcraft Bonanza F33, A36 and G36 are recorded as individual types. The same applies to the various versions of the Boeing 737 or the Airbus A340. The conversions of the individual add-on manufacturers are referred to as models. For example, although the PMDG 737-800 and iFly 737-800 are of the same type, they are also different models. The differences are primarily noticeable in the DOW (Dry Operating Weight), on the basis of which the ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight) required for control purposes is also calculated. Configurations primarily relate to the type and number of seats in the aircraft. Since FTW has both business and economy class, the respective number of seats can be changed using the configuration before the flight. **Important**: For a new aircraft type to be included in FTW, at least one model must be available along with weight data as detailed as possible! ==== Age and condition ==== The age of an aircraft is measured in Fly The World by the number of operating hours of the entire aircraft (airframe hours). The number of hours of the engines are recorded separately. It also has a direct influence on the calculated market price of individual aircraft: the older the bird, the cheaper it can usually be bought. However, since the price is ultimately determined by supply and demand, there may be deviations, especially in the case of rare aircraft. In addition to age, the condition of an aircraft also plays a significant role in pricing. The corresponding value can range from 100 (impeccable condition) to 1 (a pitiful pile of scrap metal that still remotely resembles an aircraft). In the course of pricing, the calculated market price is multiplied by the condition or the corresponding factor. For a condition of 95%, this factor would correspond to 0.95. This then results in the selling price. Below 95%, no more passengers or freight may be transported. Below 90%, it may no longer be moved and must be repaired on the spot. Every 6 months a C-check must be performed on the aircraft. If the C-check is due, the aircraft can no longer be moved. During a C-Check, the aircraft is repaired and brought to 100 percent condition. The cost of the C-Check and the repair cost can be found in the hangar under Service Hangar. {{ :handbuch_basics:0411.png?direct&400 |}} Aircraft with many cell hours may undergo a D-Check. This involves taking the aircraft apart and completely replacing wear parts. The costs for this are calculated individually per aircraft and depend on year of construction, cell hours and the effort of the mechanics. Requests can be made in the forum --> [[https://forum.aiena.de/index.php?board/53-aircraft/|Request D-Check]] ==== New and Used Aircraft ==== Whenever a new aircraft type is added to FTW's database, a check is made to see if it is currently still in production. If this is the case, users can purchase a corresponding aircraft new and directly from the manufacturer. For each aircraft type, a manufacturer ICAO is therefore at which the aircraft will appear after purchase. For example, a Beechcraft Bonanza G36 would have to be picked up at Beech Factory Airport KBEC in Wichita after purchase. Whether a particular type of aircraft is still in production can be seen in the characteristics of a corresponding aircraft. The manufacturer ICAO is located two fields below. Used aircraft of any type, on the other hand, can turn up anywhere in the world. Their location can be found via the type selection in the aircraft hangar. To do this, simply select the desired aircraft type from the drop-down list and then click the "Update" button. All aircraft of the desired type will then be displayed. However, this also includes aircraft that are not for sale. ==== Special case ACJ / BBJ / Executive Advanced ==== Ownership on ACJ 320/NEO and BBJ 737 are limited to 2 per user/airline. ==== Where can I find approximate prices of new aircraft? ==== The toolbar in the hangar was adjusted and the hangar now got an aircraft price list. The prices are the net new prices, plus delivery or customization costs. {{ :handbuch_basics:hangar-extras_001.jpg?400 |}} [[https://www.street68.de/images/ftwWP/hangar-extras_001.jpg]]