Every aircraft used in the aviation industry has a life span. Planes that fly from one end of the Earth to the other for years fill their lives after a certain period. So, what happens to these planes that expire? What actions are being taken? Let’s answer these questions. Just as every product used for service has an expiration date, aircraft have such a date, or rather a time. The aircraft, which have served passengers in different fleets for a long time, is now retired from the fleet and sent to various countries of the world to be dismantled.
Aircraft Cemetery: Davis-Monthan Air Base
Davis-Monthan Air Base, located in Tuscon, Arizona, is home to about 5 thousand aircraft, including fighter jets. The reason Arizona was chosen for the aircraft cemetery is because of meteorological conditions in general. Aircraft materials are low in humidity and can stand for a long time without rusting and wearing in hot, dry weather. In the hangars located in the cemetery, spare parts are stored waiting to be sent around the world.
Southern California Logistics Airport
We learned that aircraft materials needed damp air to store them without rusting. Another important aircraft cemetery is the Southern California Logistics Airport, located in the U.S. state of California. Airlines have begun removing Boeing 747 aircraft from their fleets, the Queen of the skies, with rising fuel costs and the introduction of 2-engine long-range aircraft. The Southern California Logistics Airport, the final stop for aircraft leaving the fleet, is home to hundreds of retired aircraft.
