Boneyards are general storage units for aircraft where billions of dollars worth of aircraft are stored for varying amounts of time. Some aircraft are stored for up to 6 months, while others for up to 50 years. The boneyards handle the maintenance and storage of airplanes. To maintain the boneyard, planes are first classified into two types: those that will be used later and those that will not be used later.
The planes that are deemed to be used later are maintained by spraying a black paint coating against erosion. The top and sides of the plane are covered with a white protective layer, which makes them less susceptible to burning and reflects sunlight. The white protective layer also protects the interior from distorting.
Boneyards provide much more than just being storage grounds; they also provide parts for planes. Many parts that may not be available on the market or not sold by traders can be bought from the boneyards. The boneyards maintain a reservoir, and after a certain period, the parts can be sold.
The U.S. produced a vast amount of aircraft for World War II, and the surplus planes ultimately became useless after the war. These planes were stored in boneyards in the USA where they were either stored or maintained. Those that couldn’t be sold or were not cost-effective to maintain were smelted for ingots. Although this did not recover the plane’s full value, it was better than nothing. There are now seven boneyards in the USA, all located in desert areas with low humidity to prevent the planes from rusting. The soil in these areas is also as hard as rock, preventing the aircraft from sinking.
Major Boneyards in the USA
Alaskan Boneyard
The Alaskan boneyard consists of assets worth up to 35 billion dollars. The boneyard Davis-Monthan AFB AMARG (309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group) is located in Alaska, a desert part of the USA where many planes are stored, some of which are going to fly and some which are not. They house the largest aircraft holder, which can store three helicopters and supplies. The big cargo ships need to be pinned down as they can move if heavy winds pick up. They are pinned by 24 ropes to the ground.
The Alaskan boneyard has many types of vehicles, mainly from the Army and Navy, from international members and some private planes stored there. The total boneyards in Arizona are Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Pinal Airpark, and Phoenix Goodyear Airport. They are not as big as Davis-Monthan AFB AMARG (309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group) but are also quite important to the general public.
The assets of Pinal Airpark are not shared, but because it is one of the biggest commercially available flight storage facilities, its assets can be worth around $0.5 billion to $1 billion. The assets of Phoenix Goodyear Airport are estimated to be anywhere from $0.1 billion to $0.5 billion.
Southern California Logistics Airport
There are two Aircraft Boneyards in California as well. The boneyards are located in the deserts of California, where planes are stored and maintained. They are bigger than the boneyards found in Alaska. Since California also has its share of dry areas, there are boneyards in California as well. The names of the boneyards in California are Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) and the Mojave Air & Space Port. They are 70 miles apart, and the driving time between them is 1:25 min.
The SCLA has assets worth anywhere from $1 billion to $3 billion. It is one of the biggest commercially available airplane storage places in the world. The assets of Mojave Air and Space Port are $500 million to $2 billion. This fluctuates due to changes in the number of airplanes stored there. The total value of the assets is anywhere from $5 billion to $1.5 billion.
Roswell International Air Center (RIAC)
The Roswell International Air Center (RIAC) is located in Roswell, New Mexico, USA. It is also one of the major boneyards in the world. It is known worldwide for its large storage capacity and high maintenance. Its assets are estimated to be worth anywhere from $0.5 billion to $1 billion. The entirety of new Mexico town only has one Aircraft boneyard.
Reason for the Expansion of the Boneyard Business
The boneyard business thrived this year as many aircraft were stored or sold at meagre prices to the boneyards due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, people weren’t allowed to travel, so the airplanes became practically useless. The maintenance of the planes is a constant cost, so to cut down the cost, many airline companies sold their planes, stored their planes, or just kept them for maintenance.
The above-mentioned are the major aircraft boneyards in the U.S. along with their asset values. Nepal does not currently have any boneyards, but it has a single plane that is for use and can be visited. It is also known as the airplane museum located in Kathmandu.