diff --git a/Translations/strings-default.xml b/Translations/strings-default.xml
index c918ab2e9..491208419 100644
--- a/Translations/strings-default.xml
+++ b/Translations/strings-default.xml
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@
  <aircraft-options>Aircraft</aircraft-options>
  <aircraft-desc>Select an aircraft profile as defined by a top level &lt;name&gt;-set.xml</aircraft-desc>
  <show-aircraft-desc>Print a list of the currently available aircraft types</show-aircraft-desc>
+ <min-aircraft-status>Allows you to define a minimum status level (=development status) for all listed aircraft</min-aircraft-status>
 
  <!-- Flight Dynamics Model options -->
  <fdm-options>Flight Model</fdm-options>
diff --git a/options.xml b/options.xml
index e86552163..5e46a6c2d 100644
--- a/options.xml
+++ b/options.xml
@@ -419,6 +419,13 @@
     <brief/>
    </option>
 
+   <option>
+    <name>min-status</name>
+    <arg>{alpha,beta,early-production,production}</arg>
+    <description>strings/min-aircraft-status</description>
+    <brief/>
+   </option>
+
    <option>
     <name>fdm</name>
     <arg>name</arg>
diff --git a/preferences.xml b/preferences.xml
index 697c9ef93..7e90b6f66 100644
--- a/preferences.xml
+++ b/preferences.xml
@@ -293,6 +293,9 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
    <enabled type="bool">true</enabled>
    <!-- <scenario>aircraft_demo</scenario> -->
   </ai>
+  
+  <!--to provide a default value that shows ALL aircraft regardless of development status-->
+  <aircraft-min-status>all</aircraft-min-status>
 
  </sim>