flyguy37 :
Good to have your input here; a point of view one or two others have put forward.
But if components are generally worth more than the complete value of the aircraft, why does this process not happen elsewhere, to all types. Why are we astounded at this almost unique case ?
Why is it for example that the MD-11, much more of a lemon than the 777, and with both production line and manufactuer gone, has still not had one airframe reduced to parts ?
Your statement that the parts on this aircraft alone are worth more than the purchase price can only be true if the price paid for this particular aircraft is way below other comparable ones. So what is wrong with it ? Did Varig not keep up the maintenance ? Or the documentation ? It is generally known that this was exactly what Varig had done to the MD-11 sold to Finnair which cost them a fortune to put right, and which Finnair said retrospectively SHOULD have been reduced to parts (maybe a euphemism for they paid too much for it). We are aware the 777 has not had an accident, but the feeling is that it has just been "let go" somewhere along the line.