Where do Airlines store aircraft?

[starbuck123]

I have been checking out what types of aircraft Virgin and BA have and the web site below says some of Virgins aircraft is in storage. where do they store them?

Virgin Atlantic Fleet - Airfleets

[clareprop]

Places like this:

Field Guide To Aircraft Boneyards

[Scumbag O'Riley]

Any aircraft should be working more hours than not, so I suppose another answer is in the air

[drivez]

Google mojave desert. Wow it's like a spotters paradise.

[starbuck123]

WOW its like a carpark but an airpark! so why do they store them there? Is it a place they go to be taken out of service or sold? Noticed there were 2 Virgin Atlantic 747s there, would they require a good look over before they fly again?

[clareprop]

so why do they store them there

It's hot, very very hot...but it's a dry kinda heat. If you go there, and don't drink plenty of water or moisturise your skin, within two or three days you'll start drying out. Headache, itchy legs and arms, the atmosphere just sucks the water out of your body.
Bad for humans but great for airframes.

If you ever done gone hear the phrase " Boy, ain't that rusty!", you ain't in the Mojave son.....(hawk, spit).

[EI-CFC]

Noticed there were 2 Virgin Atlantic 747s there, would they require a good look over before they fly again?

I believe they are 747-200's. I'd say the chance of them flying for VS again (especially in the current climate) are up there with the pigs

There used to be 4 out there. I believe Transaero leased two - so they can actually be brought back into service.

[Mycroft]

Noticed there were 2 Virgin Atlantic 747s there, would they require a good look over before they fly again?

I think that most companies would put aircraft into storage when they require major servicing - no point doing a service when you're not going to fly them and prior to storage you'd get as much flight time out of them as possible, so they'd require that service before entering service. Most aircraft stored at such facilities (there are both civil and military sites) are protected in some way (usualy covered with plastic film) so some minor work would be required to make them flyable; the environment is so harsh that you would not want to do a major service there. Most aircraft stored there will never fly again commercially, but will be broken up for spares and the residual parts scrapped; however some are in temporary storage, either the result of a failed airline awaiting sale of its assets or aircraft in excess of current requirements due to temporary downturn in passenger/freight carriage.

[starbuck123]

Does anyone know where the other storage sites located?

Thanks

[EastMids]

The major western airliner storage sites used for long-term storage are:

* Mojave, California - about 100 miles north of Los Angeles
* Victorville (aka Southern California Logistics Airport), California - about 120 miles north east of Los Angeles, formerly George Air Force Base
* Pinal Air Park (aka Marana), Arizona - 30 miles north of Tuscon
* Kingman, Arizona - 100 miles south east of Las Vegas
* Roswell, New Mexico - in the middle of no-where

Lesser but also noteworthy sites include the following, although aircraft destined for these locations are much more likely to be destined for scrap rather than reactivation:

* Maxton/Laurinburg, North Carolina
* Greenwood, Mississippi
* Chatereoux(sp?), France

And of course for military aircraft:

* Davis Monthan Air Force Base (AMARG), Tucson Arizona

The main reason for the predominance of locations in the south western USA are:

* Dry climate / low humidity / low rainfall
* Hard ground - aircraft can be moved and parked on the "dirt" which, except on a very few wet days, can support aircraft without them sinking
* Reasonable access to qualified aircraft maintenance staff
* All these locations have access to a nice long runway - many of these locations are former military bases

In respect of the above, there was recently talk of a company setting up a storage facility at an airfield in souther Morrocco - same sort of advantages

A

[CaptCosslett]

How much are airlines charged for storing their aircraft at these sites?

Thanks

[BelArgUSA]

Parking fees are "dirt cheap" - Cannot recall specific fees, but 747 for a whole month would be in the order of US$500.oo. However storage preparation for aircraft is quite expensive, if the aircraft is for sale, or is intended to fly again. One thing as an example is tyres, they are generally changed into old "storage tyres", as airworthy tyres would quickly turn into "square tyres".
xxx
I have flown 747s "out of storage" which spend typical 6 months to... 2 or 3 years there (in Mojave, Victorville or Marana). Sometimes, they require a test flight, but airplanes systems generally operate good, including avionics.
xxx

Happy contrails

[621andy]

Chateauroux is more of a dump where thy get broken up or stripped of spares. At least it looked that way when I was last there.

There were a few cargo airframes in storage at Troyes I think, or somewhere in that part of France anyway, last year.

[Katamarino]

I don't have the appropriate sectional to hand; can one fly one's cessna over the storage yards in the US? Must look interesting from above.

[Ten West]

Two of our old 767-200s went out to desert storage fairly recently.
It'd be a great place to have a look around, wouldn't it?

[Contacttower]

Slightly closer to home I believe Lasham in Hampshire is currently home to a number of airliners in temporary storage.

[EastMids]

I don't have the appropriate sectional to hand; can one fly one's cessna over the storage yards in the US? Must look interesting from above.

All of the US airliner storage locations are public use airports/airfields, some are tower controlled, some not. As long as you comply with rules of the air and/or tower instructions, yes they can be overflown. The military storage site at Davis Monthan, AZ is a different matter of course!

[dwshimoda]

Lasham...

Contacttower:

Slightly closer to home I believe Lasham in Hampshire is currently home to a number of airliners in temporary storage.

Yep. Was there recently - a very sad sight to see:

Lasham

[Yay!!!]

It is quite a sad sight. but it is interesting to look at the old aircraft though.

[b737800capt06]

Out The Back Yard

I stick all the used Qantas 737-400 out the back yard for the kids to mess around in......................