How does ch-aviation determine Last Year Interior and Exterior Refurbishment data?

This article explains the sources and methodology behind the Last Year Interior Refurbishment and Last Year Exterior Refurbishment fields in the ch-aviation database, including what qualifies as a refurbishment event and what does not.

Where does the data come from?

Our refurbishment data is sourced through two distinct approaches: primary sources and inferred sources.

Primary sources are direct evidence gathered through our in-house research team. These include:

• Direct contact with operators
• Business jet charter advertisements and sales listings
• Company fleet brochures
• Operator social media posts
• Industry news and editorial coverage

These sources often explicitly state when a cabin was last refurbished or when an aircraft was last repainted, giving us a verified, year-specific data point.

Inferred sources are used when direct evidence is not available. In these cases, our team cross-references multiple data points to arrive at a well-supported estimate.

Methodology for Exterior Refurbishments (Repaints)

For exterior refurbishments, our primary inferred tool is aircraft photography. When our team spots what appears to be a repaint, that presumptive year is cross-checked against:

• Operator changes
• Registration changes
• Likely MRO events associated with that specific aircraft

This triangulation helps confirm whether a full repaint took place and in which year.

What counts as an exterior refurbishment: a full repaint of the aircraft.

What does not count:

• Addition of a new operator's logo sticker only
• Re-striping without a full repaint
• Minor livery touch-ups

Methodology for Interior Refurbishments

For interior refurbishments, the approach is similar but relies more heavily on MRO event analysis. Our team assesses when an aircraft was likely due for — or known to have undergone — major maintenance work that would include interior intervention, taking into account:

• Aircraft age
• Operator changes
• Certification or operational type changes (for example, a transition from Part 91 to Part 135, or entry into fractional operator service)

What counts as an interior refurbishment:

• Full or partial cabin reconfiguration
• Seat type switch or full reupholstering of cabin seats
• Galley installation or removal
• Lavatory modifications

What does not count:

• Carpet replacement only
• Minor galley modifications
• IFE system updates
• Avionics upgrades

How reliable is this data?

Where primary sources are available, the data is verified and year-specific. Where inferred methodology is applied, our team uses a structured, multi-source approach to ensure the estimate is as accurate and well-supported as possible. Only medium to major refurbishment interventions are recorded — ensuring the data reflects meaningful changes to an aircraft's condition and configuration, rather than routine upkeep.

If this article does not answer your question or resolve your issue, you can always submit a ticket and our Customer Support team will get back to you as soon as possible.