Taiwan sets 26 years as maximum age for passenger aircraft

Only 4 FAT planes have reached the new limit: CAA

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/12/21
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer\

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – All commercial aircraft older than 26 years will have to be retired from service, according to new regulations to go into force on January 1, 2020.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said only four jets of that age were still in Taiwan, all of them MD planes owned by Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT), which recently suspended services due to financial problems.

The new measures will prevent accidents or other mishaps likely to delay service and inconvenience the public, the Central News Agency quoted the Ministry of Transportation as commenting on the changes Saturday (December 21).

Airlines will be encouraged to speed up the acquisition of new aircraft and improve their risk management, according to the ministry.    [FULL STORY]