Why aircraft boneyard

Dodson International. Aberdeen Proving Ground. Commercial airliner storage and parts reclamation by Universal Asset Management. Harry S Truman Regional Airport. General aviation airplane storage and parts reclamation by White Industries Inc.

This small airport is located about two hours southeast of Charlotte. Commercial airliner storage and parts reclamation by Charlotte Aircraft Corporation.

Hondo Aerospace LLC. The company specializes in aircraft storage and green harvesting of aircraft parts, components, and engines. It also has concrete storage parking for narrow body aircraft. Other U. Locations with Aircraft Storage or Reclamation Activities. Operated by Everts Air Cargo.

Photos by Ruud Leeuw. Until about , a storage facility for U. Navy Grumman S-2 Tracker aircraft. Latest reports indicate no aircraft are stored here. Davis-Monthan is not the only aircraft boneyard in the world, but it is by far the biggest. The climatic conditions in Arizona — dry heat, low humidity, little rain — mean aircraft take a lot longer to rust and degrade.

This extremely hard subsoil allows the planes to be parked in the desert without the need to construct expensive new parking ramps, according to the AMARG. Planes are expensive things to build and maintain, but even at the end of their flying lives they still have their uses. But it takes a lot of room — and a lot of money — to store these unused planes in the kind of hangars needed to keep them warm and dry. Many of the aircraft are considered inactive, but have to be able to be brought back into service if need be.

That takes a lot of work. Any planes that have served on aircraft carriers have to be thoroughly washed to get rid of corroding salt. All aircraft have their fuel tanks and fuel lines drained, and flushed with a light, viscous oil similar to that used in sewing machines to ensure all the moving parts are lubricated.

Then they must have any explosive devices — such as the charges that activate ejection seats — safely removed.

Barnard says simple, high-priority orders can be filled the same day, but larger, hard-to-reach parts can take weeks or months to harvest and deliver. One of the Cs that services the science stations in Antarctica sports a tail section that once soaked up the sun in Tucson. Roughly 95 percent of aircraft arrive at the boneyard under their own power. They land and taxi through a gate at the southeastern end of the runway to be prepped for slumber.

Pace says the task takes longer for large airplanes with multiple engines like the massive C-5 Galaxy transport. It works a little like a blood transfusion. All of the aviation fuel is pumped out and replaced with a special oil, similar to the stuff used in sewing machines, that coats the tanks and fuel systems to protect them from corrosion. The only way to do that is by firing up the engines. On this recent Thursday, the crew is working on the Navy P-3, which arrived at AMARG the week before and was towed to the flush farm earlier in the morning.

Pace stands outside the aircraft, watching the engines for the telltale sign that the exchange is complete. As soon as he sees puffs of white smoke, like at the Vatican, he motions to the men in the cockpit to cut the power. To coat all the necessary engine parts in an F or an F, the fighter jets have to be lashed to the ground and run with their afterburners on, creating a rumbling sound that echoes across Tucson. The next stop is the wash rack, where men in protective rain gear give a Coast Guard C transport plane a nose-to-tail scrubbing before it flies off to be outfitted to fight wildfires.

The aircraft has already been painted with the U. Forest Service name and logo. Wash rack supervisor Mike Sherry says that on average his crew cleans about four airplanes and 50 refurbished parts each week. It makes an excellent choice for Australian and Asian airlines, especially for short term storage, as it avoids a flight to storage in the US.

While it may not have the extensive deserts of the US or Mexico, there are dry and arid climates in Europe. Teruel in Spain provides the largest facility. The facility here is not as large as the vast US sites. Usage has risen during , though, with almost aircraft stored there including eight A aircraft in mid-May, according to reporting by Reuters.

There are some excellent pictures of these aircraft in this article. Have you ever visited any of the aircraft graveyards in the US or elsewhere? Feel free to share your stories and what you saw in the comments. Journalist - With almost a decade of experience in the publishing sphere, Justin has built up a deep understanding of the issues facing aviation today.

With a keen interest in route development, new aircraft, and loyalty, his extensive travels with airlines such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific has given him profound direct comprehension of industry matters.

Justin Hayward Journalist - With almost a decade of experience in the publishing sphere, Justin has built up a deep understanding of the issues facing aviation today. More great Simple Flying content:.