The Schedule block tab lets you make an aircraft unavailable for booking during specific time periods. Blocks appear on the scheduler and prevent new reservations from being created for the blocked dates.
Schedule blocks are used for planned maintenance, temporary unavailability, technical grounding, and recurring operational restrictions.
Opening the Schedule block tab
- Open Fleet from the main navigation.
- Click the aircraft you want to manage.
- Select the Schedule block tab.
What the list shows
Each schedule block row displays:
- Activation status -- whether the block is currently active or inactive.
- Start -- the date and time the block begins.
- End -- the date and time the block ends.
- Recurring indicator -- whether the block repeats on a schedule.
- Reason -- a description of why the aircraft is blocked.
Creating a schedule block
- Open the Schedule block tab for the aircraft.
- Click the option to create a new block.
- Fill in the following fields:
- Block activated -- toggle this on to make the block effective immediately. You can also create a block in an inactive state and activate it later.
- From -- the start date and time of the block.
- To -- the end date and time of the block.
- Recurring -- choose the recurrence pattern (see below).
- Until -- the end date for recurring blocks. This field appears only when a recurring pattern is selected.
- Reason -- a description explaining why the block is in place. Use clear, specific reasons so that other staff understand the purpose at a glance.
- Save the block.
Recurring blocks
Blocks can be configured with three recurrence patterns:
- One-time -- the block applies only to the specified date range. This is the default and most common option.
- Daily -- the block repeats every day between the start and end times, continuing until the Until date.
- Weekly -- the block repeats on a specific weekday between the start and end times, continuing until the Until date. When you select weekly recurrence, you must also choose the weekday.
All recurring blocks require an Until date to define when the recurrence ends.
Examples of recurring blocks
- Daily block from 18:00 to 08:00 until April 30 -- blocks the aircraft every evening and night for a month. Useful for aircraft that are only available during daytime hours.
- Weekly block on Wednesdays from 08:00 to 17:00 until June 30 -- blocks the aircraft every Wednesday for scheduled recurring maintenance.
Conflict checking
When you create or edit a schedule block, the system automatically checks for conflicts with existing bookings that fall within the block period.
- After entering or changing the From and To dates, the form shows any existing reservations that overlap with the block.
- Review these conflicts before saving. If conflicting bookings exist, you need to decide whether to proceed (and handle those bookings separately) or adjust the block dates.
This conflict check helps you understand the scheduling impact before the block takes effect.
Editing a schedule block
- Open the Schedule block tab for the aircraft.
- Click the block you want to modify.
- Update the fields as needed.
- Review any new conflicts that appear after your changes.
- Save the updated block.
Activating and deactivating blocks
A schedule block has an activation toggle. This gives you flexibility to:
- Create a block in advance in an inactive state, then activate it when the time comes.
- Temporarily deactivate a block without deleting it, for example if maintenance is postponed.
- Deactivate a block when the reason for it has been resolved and the aircraft should return to the schedule.
Only active blocks prevent bookings. Inactive blocks are stored but have no effect on scheduling.
Relationship with defects
Grounded (AOG) defects can create and manage schedule blocks directly from the defect detail panel. This is the fastest path when a serious technical issue requires immediate removal of the aircraft from the schedule.
When a defect-created block is in place:
- The block appears in the Schedule block list like any other block.
- It can be deactivated from either the defect detail or the Schedule block tab.
- Once the defect is resolved and the aircraft is released back to service, deactivate the block so the aircraft becomes available again.
For more information, see Defects.
Typical use cases
Planned maintenance Create a one-time block covering the expected maintenance period. Set the reason to describe the type of maintenance. Activate it when the maintenance window begins.
Temporary unavailability Block the aircraft for a specific period when it cannot be used, such as during an inspection or when it is located at another airfield.
Technical grounding When a defect grounds the aircraft, create a block from the defect detail panel or manually from the Schedule block tab. This immediately prevents bookings.
Recurring operational restrictions Use daily or weekly recurring blocks for regular unavailability, such as aircraft that are only available on certain days or during certain hours.
Common tasks
Block an aircraft for maintenance next week Create a new block, set the From and To dates to cover the maintenance window, enter a clear reason, activate it, and save.
Set up a weekly recurring block Create a new block, select Weekly recurrence, choose the weekday, set the From and To times, set the Until date, activate, and save.
Check if a block conflicts with bookings Enter the dates in the block form and review the conflict preview. Existing bookings that overlap with the block will be shown.
Remove a block when maintenance is complete Open the block and deactivate it, or delete it if it is no longer needed.
Good practices
- Always include a clear, specific reason for every block. This helps other staff understand why the aircraft is unavailable without needing to ask.
- Use the activation toggle to prepare blocks in advance. Create the block with the correct dates and reason, but leave it inactive until the block should take effect.
- Check for booking conflicts before activating a block. Unexpected cancellations disrupt pilots and customers.
- After resolving the reason for a block (maintenance completed, defect closed, restriction lifted), deactivate or remove the block promptly so the aircraft returns to the schedule.
- For defect-related grounding, prefer creating the schedule block from the defect detail panel. This keeps the block linked to the defect context for better traceability.
- Review the Schedule block list periodically to remove old or irrelevant blocks that are no longer needed.