Many older aircraft are still flying high.
Newer pilots are often surprised to learn how many older airplanes are still flying—much older than that 1970s-vintage Cessna that might be on the rental line at your flight school. Pilots who really enjoy going places, for example (and can afford the fuel bill for two radial engines), may arrive in style in an airplane like this Beech Model 18, better known as the Twin Beech. Manufactured from 1937 to 1969, more than 11,000 were produced for civilian and military customers, and about 1,400 are still registered in the United States. While it seems that few people drive the same car for more than 10 years, diligent maintenance and FAA-mandated periodic inspections help pilots to safely fly aircraft that are much older.
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