Is there an airplane graveyard?

“The Boneyard” is officially known as the 309th AMARG Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (military-speak for a really cool aviation junkyard). It's located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309th AMARG), often called The Boneyard, is a United States Air Force aircraft and missile storage and maintenance facility in Tucson, Arizona, located on Davis–Monthan Air Force Base.
, on the southeastern edge of Tucson, where it is the final resting place of more than 3,000 aircraft.


Can I visit an airplane graveyard?

Virtually all airplane boneyards and storage facilities are limited access sites and do not allow visitors.

How many airplane graveyards are there?

Located in Arizona, California and New Mexico are seven major airplane boneyards, each located in dry, low-humidity desert environments and offering long runways and extensive storage areas. Shown below is a list of these boneyard facilities.


Where is the graveyard for planes?

The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Tucson, Arizona, the largest facility of its kind, is colloquially known as "The Boneyard".

Can you visit the Air Force Boneyard?

The Pima Air Museum is the exclusive operator of all 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG, also known as the “Boneyard) tours. The tour is $20.00. All arrangements for the boneyard tour must be made through the Pima Air Museum (not NARCON).


What Happened Inside the Airplane Graveyard?



Where is the 747 graveyard?

The Bangkok airplane graveyard consists of the wings, fuselages, and debris from jets that have been left in wrecks, including that of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 and a Boeing 747. Looking out the back of the Boeing 747 in the Airplane Graveyard, Bangkok.

Can you buy a retired plane?

Sure, the 747 is a Type Certified and airworthy aircraft, the FAA does not really care who owns it so long as they play by the rules. Boeing even sells them directly to the private market via their BBJ line. There are even a few used ones listed for sale right now.

Where do planes empty their toilets?

Usually, yes. The vacuum toilet used on planes, patented by James Kemper in 1975, sucks the waste into a holding tank where it is stored until the plane lands on the ground.


How are old planes disposed of?

If there is no buyer for an aircraft, then it will usually head to an aircraft scrapyard (often called an aircraft graveyard or boneyard). This could be a short term storage option until a buyer is found or the market improves. Or it could be for immediate or slower breakdown and recycling for its parts.

Where is the best place to survive a plane crash?

When looking at what seats gave you the best chance of surviving, the middle seats in the plane's rear came out the best with a 28% fatality rate. The worst seats were on either side of the aisle in the middle of the aircraft, with a 44% fatality rate.

Can you buy a plane from the airplane boneyard?

We do not offer tours, and we do not own aircraft, sell aircraft, or maintain a parts inventory.


Can I visit the airplane graveyard in Arizona?

The Tucson airplane graveyard is a must-visit site for anyone who loves aircraft (that's us!). Learn about this amazing place, and how you can visit “the Boneyard,” as it's unofficially known. Visiting the Boneyard is one of the truly unique things to do in Tucson-there's nothing else like it. Anywhere.

What do airlines do with old planes?

And when a jet is retired indefinitely, it is usually sent to an aircraft boneyard (or graveyard). Boneyards are often located in deserts as dry weather conditions help to limit corrosion. In these facilities, the valuable parts of an aircraft are removed for reuse or resale before the rest of it is scrapped.

Why are planes left in the desert?

The climate

The lack of rain and moisture offers the best conditions for the storage of aircraft, reducing the risk of damage that can occur due to corrosion of the airframe and other aircraft components. Desert environments also tend to have fewer insects and wildlife.


Why do they store planes in the desert?

The dry conditions and low humidity reduce the potential for corrosion on the planes, with carriers including Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines storing planes on the site.

Do planes drop toilet waste?

Aircraft toilets operate on a vacuum system – that whooshing sound when you flush. The waste goes into a holding tank in the rear of the aircraft and it's pretty nearly a fail-safe system but if there's a leak, the waste can seep out of the fuselage.

Do airplane toilets have water?

An airplane bathroom does not use the water like a regular bathroom. Instead, it uses a vacuum system, and when it flushes it moves into a septic tank that is on the airplane. The pipes used are much smaller than regular plumbing pipes and they can be placed in any direction since they do not use gravity and water.


What is the lifespan of an airplane?

According to data on Western-built aircraft from 2005 to 2018, the average passenger jet is retired at 23.6 years. However, aircraft constructed by reliable manufacturers can last even longer, possibly up to 30 years, depending on the make, model and attention to maintenance.

Do airplanes dump their fuel before landing?

While fuel dumps don't happen every day, they're also not uncommon. Nor do they usually represent a major emergency. In fact if an aircraft is taking the time to dump fuel before landing, that's likely an indication that the issue forcing the plane to land is serious but not critical.

What happens to jet fuel when it's dumped?

What happens when an aircraft dumps fuel? When an aircraft decides to dump fuel at altitude, the pilots flick a switch in the cockpit, and pumps push the fuel out of nozzles in the wings. The fuel disperses over a wide enough area that the particles evaporate into a fine mist.


Can you buy an airplane toilet?

We have aircraft lavatories and lavatory parts for sale. All our parts have a clear trace to last operating airline including a Non-Incident Statement (NIS).

How much is a 747 worth?

Depending on numerous factors, the average price for a pre-owned BOEING 747-400 is $20,000,000.00.

Can a 70 year old fly a plane?

Firstly, there is no specific age limit on travelling by plane. Secondly, normal passengers, airline staff, check-in staff and security personnel are not fit to judge your elder citizen's health.


How much does it cost to land an airplane at an airport?

Landing fees vary by airport and usually depend on the size and weight of the aircraft. Expect fees to be in the $100 to $500 range. Sometimes these fees are waived if your aircraft is refueling at the airport. The fees are used to maintain runways and airport buildings.