Is it True that Old Aircraft are Unsafe and Prone to Accidents? Here's the Explanation
Recent aviation tragedies have garnered serious attention, particularly focusing on aircraft age. Government policies on limiting the age of imported aircraft are also seen as influencing the dynamics of the national aviation industry.
Regulations implemented during 2015-2016 limited the age of imported aircraft to a maximum of 15 years. This condition is viewed as increasing barriers to entry for new players in the aviation industry. Moreover, several airlines had previously exited the market due to competitive pressures and capital issues, such as Mandala Airlines and Sky Aviation.
The government then relaxed these rules through Ministerial Decision No. 115 of 2020, raising the limit on the age of imported aircraft to a maximum of 20 years. However, this regulation is still not flexible enough for the needs of national airlines.
“Aircraft cannot be equated with other vehicles. So-called ‘old’ aircraft, whether 10, 20, or 30 years old, can still be maintained through three main principles,” said aviation expert Alvin Lie in his statement on Wednesday (13/5/2026).
The first principle is tiered maintenance conducted routinely and strictly through various inspection stages, from A-Check to D-Check. In the D-Check process, the aircraft is thoroughly examined, leaving only its main structure.
These inspections cover checks for corrosion, wiring systems, and piping to ensure all components are still in safe condition for operation.
Additionally, the aviation industry applies the safe life and fail-safe philosophies in aircraft design and operations. The safe life principle ensures that components with a certain service life limit are replaced before failure occurs. Meanwhile, the fail-safe principle ensures the aircraft structure can still bear loads even if one component is damaged.
According to Alvin, the most important factor in aviation safety lies in the airworthiness aspect. This status is granted by the regulator after the aircraft is declared to meet all required technical standards and maintenance.
Aircraft with higher operational ages generally receive more intensive inspection and maintenance attention compared to younger aircraft.
“In addition, there are special programmes for older aircraft. If the flight hours are high, additional inspections on the structure, fatigue testing, and stricter corrosion prevention will be conducted,” he added.
Lately, the national aircraft industry has been facing pressures.
Industry data shows that Indonesia’s domestic aviation market, which reached around 102 million passengers in 2018, is now only around 70 million passengers per year. This condition is influenced by various factors, from weakening public purchasing power, high ticket prices, to the lack of competition among domestic airlines.