What is the target percentage for aircraft availability?

• A. 85%
• B. 71%
• C. 60%
• D. 90%

Answer: (B)

Availability is the share of time an aircraft is ready to fly during a given period. It measures operational readiness by comparing the time the aircraft is capable and available for service to the total planning time, including scheduled operations and maintenance downtime. A target around seventy-one percent reflects balancing necessary maintenance with keeping aircraft usable for missions; it’s a realistic benchmark for planning and resource allocation. For example, in a period with 100 planned hours, 71 hours of the time are available for flight, giving an availability of 71%. Higher targets (like eighty-five or ninety percent) assume much tighter maintenance windows, while a much lower target (like sixty percent) would reduce readiness too much.