What is the difference between "Total Monthly Cycles" and "Total Monthly Cycles Tracked (Whitelisted)"?

These two metrics measure the same concept — monthly aircraft cycles — but they draw on different data sources, each with its own strengths and limitations. Neither is universally more accurate than the other; which one is more reliable depends on the aircraft, the operator, and the data available for that specific combination.

Total Monthly Cycles
This figure is based on data that airlines report directly to their aircraft OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), supplemented where necessary by ch-aviation estimates and forecasts.

There are a few important caveats to keep in mind:

• Not all OEMs share their data with fleet data providers, and not all airlines authorise their OEM data to be distributed.
• Where data sharing is permitted, all fleet data providers receive the same feed — there is no selective or proprietary access.
• Boeing data in particular is subject to periodic corrections, meaning a figure published for a given month may be revised up to three months later.

Total Monthly Cycles Tracked (Whitelisted)

This figure is derived from ADS-B flight tracking data, specifically from Spire Aviation. It only includes aircraft that have been whitelisted — those for which ch-aviation has sufficient confidence that the ADS-B data is a reliable indicator of actual utilisation.

What does "whitelisted" mean?

An aircraft is whitelisted for a specific operator and MSN (manufacturer serial number) combination if it meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Utilisation match: The ADS-B-derived cycle count closely aligns with OEM-reported data — typically within ±1–2 cycles or ±10%, depending on the available sample size, over the past two years.
• Flight path continuity: At least 95% of a flight's recorded destination matches the origin of the next tracked flight, based on 10 or more flights in the past two years. This confirms the ADS-B signal is tracking a real, complete flight profile.

Aircraft that do not meet either threshold are blacklisted — their ADS-B data is excluded from the whitelisted metric because it cannot be trusted as a reliable utilisation source.

A practical example: if a subfleet has a mix of aircraft — some with ADS-B Out installed and some without — only the aircraft that pass the whitelist criteria will be included in the "Tracked (Whitelisted)" figure. The rest are excluded to preserve data integrity.

Which metric should I use?

There is no single answer. As a general guide:

• Use Total Monthly Cycles when OEM reporting is available and up to date, particularly for non-Boeing aircraft where correction cycles are less frequent.
• Use Total Monthly Cycles Tracked (Whitelisted) when you want ADS-B-verified, near-real-time utilisation data for aircraft where the tracking signal has been validated.
• Where both figures are available for the same aircraft, comparing them can serve as a useful cross-check on data quality.

For further technical detail on the methodology behind this report, please refer to the Aircraft Utilisation (Monthly, OEM & ADS-B Based) documentation.

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