> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.planeconnection.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Aircraft Statuses

> Operational statuses, transition rules, and tracking fields for aircraft in the fleet management module.

Each aircraft record carries an operational status that determines dispatch availability, scheduling visibility, and fleet-level reporting inclusion.

## Status Summary

| Status                                    | API Value     | Dispatch Available | Appears in Scheduling | Description                                                                             |
| ----------------------------------------- | ------------- | :----------------: | :-------------------: | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <Badge color="green">Active</Badge>       | `active`      |         Yes        |          Yes          | Aircraft is airworthy and available for operations.                                     |
| <Badge color="yellow">Maintenance</Badge> | `maintenance` |         No         |     Yes (flagged)     | Aircraft is undergoing scheduled or unscheduled maintenance.                            |
| <Badge color="red">AOG</Badge>            | `aog`         |         No         |     Yes (flagged)     | Aircraft on Ground -- unscheduled event preventing flight.                              |
| <Badge color="blue">Storage</Badge>       | `storage`     |         No         |     Yes (flagged)     | Aircraft is in long-term storage. Not available for dispatch but may return to service. |
| <Badge color="gray">Retired</Badge>       | `retired`     |         No         |           No          | Aircraft has been permanently removed from service.                                     |
| <Badge color="gray">Sold</Badge>          | `sold`        |         No         |           No          | Aircraft has been sold and transferred to a new owner.                                  |

## Status Lifecycle

```mermaid theme={}
stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Active
    Active --> Maintenance : Scheduled event
    Active --> AOG : Unscheduled grounding
    Active --> Storage : Placed in long-term storage
    Active --> Retired : Decommissioned
    Active --> Sold : Sold to new owner
    Maintenance --> Active : Return to service
    Maintenance --> Retired : Decommissioned
    Maintenance --> Sold : Sold to new owner
    AOG --> Active : Resolved and returned to service
    AOG --> Maintenance : Repair requires extended maintenance
    AOG --> Retired : Beyond economical repair
    AOG --> Sold : Sold to new owner
    Storage --> Active : Returned to service
    Storage --> Retired : Decommissioned from storage
    Storage --> Sold : Sold from storage
    Retired --> [*]
    Sold --> [*]
```

## Detailed Status Definitions

### Active

The aircraft is airworthy, current on all required inspections, and available for dispatch. Active aircraft appear in scheduling and dispatch selection lists and are assignable to trips.

**Prerequisites:**

* Current airworthiness certificate
* All required inspections (annual, progressive, or other applicable programs) completed
* No open MEL items that prevent dispatch for the planned mission
* Valid registration and insurance

### Maintenance

The aircraft is undergoing planned maintenance and is temporarily unavailable for dispatch. This includes scheduled inspections, overhauls, modifications, and AD compliance work where a return-to-service date is known or estimable.

**Dispatch impact:** Trips assigned to this aircraft are flagged for reassignment. The aircraft appears in scheduling views with a maintenance indicator and estimated return date.

### AOG (Aircraft on Ground)

The aircraft is grounded due to an unscheduled event -- a mechanical failure, parts shortage, damage, or other condition that prevents flight and was not planned. AOG is distinct from Maintenance in urgency and unpredictability.

**Dispatch impact:** Identical to Maintenance, but AOG triggers elevated notifications to dispatch and management. AOG events are tracked as a Safety Performance Indicator.

### Storage

The aircraft is in long-term storage -- seasonal layup, awaiting sale, or temporarily removed from the active fleet. Unlike Retired or Sold, an aircraft in Storage can return to Active status after completing a return-to-service inspection.

**Dispatch impact:** The aircraft is unavailable for dispatch and does not appear in scheduling selection lists. It remains visible in fleet views with a storage indicator.

**Maintenance:** Due-item tracking continues on a calendar basis while the aircraft is in storage. Hours-based and cycles-based items are paused since the aircraft is not flying.

### Retired

The aircraft has been permanently removed from the fleet -- decommissioned or damaged beyond economical repair. Retired is a terminal status.

**Data retention:** All flight logs, maintenance records, and safety reports are retained indefinitely for regulatory compliance.

### Sold

The aircraft has been sold and ownership transferred to a new party. Sold is a terminal status, distinct from Retired in that the aircraft continues to operate under different ownership.

**Data retention:** Same as Retired -- all historical data is retained for regulatory compliance and audit purposes.

## Transition Rules

| From        | To          | Permitted Roles   | Conditions                                               |
| ----------- | ----------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Active      | Maintenance | Dispatcher, admin | Maintenance event created; estimated return date set     |
| Active      | AOG         | Dispatcher, admin | AOG reason documented                                    |
| Active      | Storage     | Admin             | Storage reason documented; no active trips               |
| Active      | Retired     | Admin             | Retirement reason documented; no active trips            |
| Active      | Sold        | Admin             | Sale documented; no active trips                         |
| Maintenance | Active      | Admin             | Return-to-service entry completed                        |
| Maintenance | Retired     | Admin             | Retirement reason documented                             |
| Maintenance | Sold        | Admin             | Sale documented                                          |
| AOG         | Active      | Admin             | Resolution documented; return-to-service entry completed |
| AOG         | Maintenance | Dispatcher, admin | Extended repair plan created                             |
| AOG         | Retired     | Admin             | Beyond economical repair determination documented        |
| AOG         | Sold        | Admin             | Sale documented                                          |
| Storage     | Active      | Admin             | Return-to-service inspection completed                   |
| Storage     | Retired     | Admin             | Retirement reason documented                             |
| Storage     | Sold        | Admin             | Sale documented                                          |

<Note>
  Retired and Sold are terminal statuses. Aircraft cannot be transitioned back to Active,
  Maintenance, or AOG once retired or sold. Storage is reversible -- aircraft can return to Active
  after a return-to-service inspection.
</Note>

## Hours and Landings Tracking

PlaneConnection tracks cumulative time and cycles at the airframe, engine, and propeller levels.

| Field                       | Type   | Unit           | Description                                 |
| --------------------------- | ------ | -------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `total_time`                | Number | Hours (tenths) | Total airframe time since new.              |
| `total_cycles`              | Number | Count          | Total airframe cycles (landings) since new. |
| `time_since_overhaul`       | Number | Hours (tenths) | Time since last major overhaul.             |
| `cycles_since_overhaul`     | Number | Count          | Cycles since last major overhaul.           |
| `time_since_inspection`     | Number | Hours (tenths) | Time since last required inspection.        |
| `calendar_since_inspection` | Date   | Date           | Date of last required inspection.           |

These values update automatically when flight logs are posted. The due-items engine uses them to calculate upcoming maintenance events.

## Aircraft Record Fields

| Field                 | Type      | Required | Description                                                  |
| --------------------- | --------- | :------: | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `tail_number`         | String    |    Yes   | FAA registration number (N-number).                          |
| `type`                | String    |    Yes   | Aircraft type/model (e.g., `Citation XLS+`, `King Air 350`). |
| `serial_number`       | String    |    Yes   | Manufacturer's serial number.                                |
| `status`              | Enum      |   Auto   | Current operational status.                                  |
| `home_base`           | String    |    Yes   | Home airport (ICAO code).                                    |
| `seating_capacity`    | Number    |    Yes   | Maximum passenger seating configuration.                     |
| `total_time`          | Number    |   Auto   | Total airframe hours.                                        |
| `total_cycles`        | Number    |   Auto   | Total airframe cycles (landings).                            |
| `year_manufactured`   | Number    |    No    | Aircraft year of manufacture.                                |
| `insurance_expiry`    | Date      |    No    | Insurance policy expiration date.                            |
| `registration_expiry` | Date      |    No    | FAA registration expiration date.                            |
| `created_at`          | Timestamp |   Auto   | Record creation timestamp (UTC).                             |
| `updated_at`          | Timestamp |   Auto   | Last modification timestamp (UTC).                           |

## Impact on Fleet Reporting

| Metric                    |  Active  | Maintenance |    AOG   |    Storage    |     Retired     |       Sold      |
| ------------------------- | :------: | :---------: | :------: | :-----------: | :-------------: | :-------------: |
| Fleet availability rate   | Included |   Excluded  | Excluded |    Excluded   |     Excluded    |     Excluded    |
| Utilization calculations  |    Yes   |      No     |    No    |       No      |        No       |        No       |
| Due-items tracking        |    Yes   |     Yes     |    Yes   | Calendar only |        No       |        No       |
| Safety report association |    Yes   |     Yes     |    Yes   |      Yes      | Historical only | Historical only |

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Manage Aircraft" href="/how-to/ops/manage-aircraft">
    Aircraft record creation, editing, and management.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Setting Up Your Fleet" href="/tutorials/setting-up-fleet">
    Initial fleet configuration walkthrough.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Track Due Items" href="/how-to/ops/track-due-items">
    Maintenance due-item calculation from aircraft hours and cycles.
  </Card>

  <Card title="MEL Deferrals" href="/reference/mel-deferrals">
    Minimum Equipment List deferral statuses and workflow.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>