3 days Ago By Aaron Bailey
When the world stopped during the COVID-19 Pandemic , airlines had little option but to park and store many of their aircraft in their fleet while they operated bare-bones networks. This saw many airlines retire older aircraft. The great aircraft cull When an airline retires an aircraft from its fleet, it is not always the end for the plane.
While these could be stored temporarily, usually in warm, dry conditions, such as the Mojave Desert or Alice Springs , the aircraft can also be harvested for parts for other aircraft. Another way that retired aircraft can be utilized is when they are converted from passenger to cargo operations. The World Economic Forum estimated the market alone for recycled plane parts at over $6 million in 2022.
One of the biggest catalysts of the pandemic was the widespread retirement of the Boeing 747 aircraft, also known as the 'Queen of the Skies'. British Airways , for example, retired its fleet of 31 of the super-jumbos, opting now to utilize other more modern aircraft in its fleet, such as the Boeing 787 and 777 and the Airbus A350 and A380. Get all the latest airline route news right here Aircraft destined for the scrap heap Much like cars, when aircraft are damaged or retired, they can be harvested for parts for other aircraft.
When British Airways, alongside other carriers like KLM, Air France, Delta, United, and Qantas , retired their 747s, the aircraft was left for harvesting for other airliners when parts were required. The iconic Queen of the Skies' assembly line has now finished, and the Airbus A380, the 747's biggest competitor, has also had its manufacturing line wound up. Airlines around the world are looking for more fuel-efficient aircraft that can provide higher-frequency flights to new and unique destinations.
Converting a passenger aircraft for cargo operations When an airline retires aircraft, they could either be purchased by another airline for either short-term or long-term operations or converted for cargo operations. It is common for cargo airlines to fly older aircraft and examples of this have been both DHL and FedEx , which have seen widespread success with using the Boeing 777 or 767 for their global connectivity. When an aircraft is converted from passenger to cargo operations, the majority of its windows are removed.
It is fitted with larger cargo doors either at the front or rear of the main fuselage. These carriers have unique business models. Have you heard the Simple Flying podcast recently? Harvesting an aircraft for parts Aircraft have a limited life span, and they will usually fly for a period until the cost of maintenance becomes too great for an airline, or they could become a safety threat.
When this time comes, aircraft parts still hold some value, and the ability to harvest them for spare parts can be very profitable. While the plane itself may need to be retired, many parts could have already been replaced many times, such parts as the engines, seats, or even down the window blinds could have years of use left, even when the airplane is no longer flying. The second-hand aviation market is booming, and online marketplaces for airlines to purchase validated used parts are growing.
It is important to note that not all aircraft are used for harvesting parts, and frequently, some aircraft just go into storage. This was a popular choice during the pandemic, when global airlines had excess aircraft, and the best place for these to be stored long-term is in dry, warm conditions. This is where the Mojave Desert, Tuerel in Spain, and Alice Springs, in Australia's outback, became a haven for excess aircraft.
These ideal long-term parking conditions were where airlines sent their excessive aircraft until the world opened up again, and we have seen airlines slowly but surely return all their aircraft back to the sky as the aviation market demand surged. Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here . Aftermarket aircraft services The demand for aftermarket aircraft services depends on the continued rise of aircraft fleets worldwide.
Passenger fleets are expected to double to 45,000 aircraft by 2035, and this increased demand will require more maintenance, repair, parts, and overhaul (MRO) services. A rise in demand for commercial aircraft brought forth issues relating to commercial parts, forcing airlines to think of alternative methods. Also, where airlines may have needed to be cost-conscious at times, many looked at second-hand and alternative parts for their airplanes.
During the pandemic, this affected airline revenues around the world, and to overcome financial strain, airlines resized their fleets accordingly and saw the early retirement of many aircraft. This saw the aircraft disassembly and dismantling sector grow, and now we see an increase in government concern around lower carbon emissions and regulations regarding aircraft components, which is expected to increase demand for aftermarket aircraft products. Several segmented markets focus on global aviation second-hand aviation parts, which are broken down into: Engine Holds the largest aftermarket parts share.
Airframe This is a high-cost, very time-consuming market Interior Demand for passenger safety and comfort has seen many airlines develop and advance interior systems. Cockpit Systems Airlines are actively upgrading their commercial fleets with the emergence of artificial intelligence and internet-based systems or components. Other These can include landing gear, wheels, or other components While the commercial segment holds the largest share of demand, the expansion of e-commerce has led to increased demand for aircraft aftermarket parts.
The military, expected to grow with increased investment in defense and military spending, is expected to see increased MRO contracts. The US Air Force and the Davis-Monthan boneyard have roughly comparable numbers of aircraft. Love aviation history ? Discover more of our stories here Global aviation markets Fortune Business Insights looked at the significant markets: North America With an estimated aftermarket spend of 14.
18 billion, facilities in the US and Canada dominate the global aviation market. Boeing and Collins Aerospace are dominant players, but US-based firms have developed a strong supply chain for MRO and excess parts. Europe Studies across the Atlantic in Europe estimate exponential growth for aftermarket parts in the near future.
The risk, however, has been how Brexit affected trades, labor shortages, and high fuel prices. Asia-Pacific Aftermarket hubs like Japan, Singapore, and Australia are forecasted to grow quickly, and aftermarket parts providers are establishing new marketplaces and hubs to prepare for new market growth. China The Chinese aviation market, especially for narrowbody aircraft, is poised to grow significantly.
Changes in government import and export rules have propelled the growth of the aircraft aftermarket sector. A look at the world's biggest aircraft boneyards Davis-Monthan United States Air Force Base Located near Tucson, Arizona, on South Kolb Road, the residential neighborhoods disappear, leaving row upon row of parked aircraft ranging in sizes from fighter jets to massive transports. Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV) Located in California's Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base, 95 miles north of Los Angeles, the airport began as a rural airfield in the 1930s.
Size: 2,998 acres (4.7 square miles) Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) is one of the world's largest commercial aircraft boneyards and a favorite place for retired aircraft waiting to be scrapped. Located on the fringe of the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, an hour and a half drive from Los Angeles, SCLA can accommodate up to 500 large aircraft.
Today, Southern California Logistics Airport has two runways and is home to Cargolux, Lufthansa, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, and Federal Express. The two runways are: Runway 17/35: 15,050 ft × 150 ft (4,587 m × 46 m), surface: asphalt/concrete Runway 03/21: 9,138 ft × 150 ft (2,785 m × 46 m), surface: asphalt/concrete Size: 2,300 acres (3.6 square miles) Pinal County Airpark (MZJ) Covering 1,508 acres, Pinal Airpark has a single 6,893-foot-long asphalt runway and four helipads.
Because of its location in the Sonoran Desert, the hottest desert in both the United States and Mexico, Pinal County Airpark (MZJ) has become a popular storage destination for aircraft retiring from airlines. According to ABC , the facility can accommodate more than 400 aircraft on-site, including some of Virgin America's old Boeing 747s and a stranded televangelist's Boeing 747SP . Size: 1,508 acres (2.
4 square miles) Teruel Airport (TEV) Today, Teruel Airport is owned by a consortium formed by the Government of Aragon and Teruel City Council. It is the largest aircraft storage and maintenance facility in Europe. It has a 9,268-foot-long asphalt runway and can accommodate up to 250 parked planes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Teruel Airport was home to 100 parked aircraft, mainly from European airlines . Size: 1,359 acres (2.1 square miles) The process an aircraft must undergo before being removed from storage.
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