AA aircraft bone-yard.

[likeitfast55]

We have a few birds in the desert.
MD-80's


757's

[Brn N Rubr]

Wow, that's crazy!

[UserX]

Waiting for sale or used as parts? There's a small fortune in aluminum sitting there.

[likeitfast55]

Some of the A&P's can chime in here(68RR). I believe that most of these birds have max cycles(Takeoff-land) on them. Once you reach the life of an air-frame it is toast. Some planes are used as fodder and a source of spare parts, engineers dipping in and out of their empty hulls to prize free delicate avionics equipment, engine parts, even whole rotundas of fuselage. Some meet their fate at the hands of giant machines which tear them to bits to expose their cabling, ducting, and inner wall electronics for cannibalization.

After that they are crushed/recycled for the aluminum and other salvageable metals.

[helosailor]

^^^ Correct. Also, some are out there simply as long-term storage. When I was with Northwest, about 1/4 of our "inactive fleet" were 30-60 day airworthy aircraft...meaning that they could be made airworthy in 30 to 60 days. We pulled a couple of 747-200s out and put them back into service as sports charters and freedom flight aircraft.

[Broncojohnny]

Used parts are a huge business. Some of that shit goes for retarded money.

[BERNIE MOSFET]

I don't know about the airframe, but a lot of major parts are life limited. I imagine there comes a point where the cost of continued airworthiness becomes prohibitively high.

Pretty cool pics.

[564826]

Some of them even have winglets.

[68RR]

Some of the A&P's can chime in here(68RR). I believe that most of these birds have max cycles(Takeoff-land) on them. Once you reach the life of an air-frame it is toast. Some planes are used as fodder and a source of spare parts, engineers dipping in and out of their empty hulls to prize free delicate avionics equipment, engine parts, even whole rotundas of fuselage. Some meet their fate at the hands of giant machines which tear them to bits to expose their cabling, ducting, and inner wall electronics for cannibalization.

After that they are crushed/recycled for the aluminum and other salvageable metals.

Lil bit of everything mentioned.. Age, hours, cycles, Fleet conformity, and the fact that, per our last Mgmt meeting, we're receiving a new plane every 3 or 4 days right now. Supposed to taper off to 1 plane every 5 days next year.. We did pull a couple 757's back into service, but they should all be gone within 5 years. Same thing for the -80's. I remember the first time I walked into Hgr 5. 3 DC-10's and a 767 undergoing maintenance. -10's are long gone, the -100 and 200 Series of the 767 are gone and the A-300-600R's too.. Tired old man now!! In our dept they call me "OGG" Old Grouchy Guy.. Getting harder to get up into the vertical and the freaking fuel tank openings are for some reason getting smaller!! Couple of pics.. Moi in the 767 cockpit doing functionals before the flight crew gets the plane, and a crown skin inspection of a 737

[SMKR]

love that 'stach! (serious!)

[2011GT]

Is that in Roswell, NM? Had a broken Embraer I had to go fix there probably 5 years ago. I was working out of a shitty dean baldwin paint hangar.

[likeitfast55]

Is that in Roswell, NM? Had a broken Embraer I had to go fix there probably 5 years ago. I was working out of a shitty dean baldwin paint hangar.

Who's EMB? A. Eagle?

[68RR]

love that 'stach! (serious!)

Yeesh!!!

[F8LSVT]

Cool pics guys. Ive always wanted to go browse around a bone yard.