An aircraft graveyard, also known as aircraft boneyard or even aircraft cemetery, is a vast area of land where aeroplanes that are no longer in service are parked.
Imagine thousands of aircraft of all types, perfectly aligned, resting side by side, waiting to be recycled, scrapped, or repurposed.
These places exist, and believe us, they are worth visiting at least once in your life.
Determining the exact number of aeroplane boneyards in the world is tricky, as the definition of these places can vary.
Some are official storage and maintenance facilities, while others are simply large expanses of land where abandoned aircraft have accumulated.
However, it is estimated that there are hundreds of these boneyards scattered across the planet, especially in desert and sparsely populated areas.
There are several reasons why an aeroplane might end up in a boneyard:
Now that we know what an aeroplane boneyard is and what it’s for, we can delve into the fascinating world of these unique places.
The largest aeroplane boneyard in the world is the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona (USA).
Known simply as “The Boneyard”, this place occupies over 1,000 hectares and houses thousands of military and civilian aircraft, from massive B-52 bombers to commercial airliners of all types.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast or are drawn to unusual places, this is a destination you can’t miss.
When a plane arrives at this vast site, it goes through a series of steps to get it ready for ‘storage’; don’t think it’s just parked in the next free spot and that’s it, not at all.
Each aircraft undergoes a thorough cleaning of all the grease and dust on the fuselage. It is then coated with a material that seals the entire surface to protect it from the elements, as well as the fine desert dust.
Finally, they are moved to their temporary or final location, depending on the destination of each aircraft.
Although the largest aeroplane boneyard is in the United States, there are many others scattered around the world, including Spain.
In fact, did you know that the largest aeroplane boneyard in Europe is in Spain?
With a capacity for over 200 aircraft, Teruel Airport stands as one of the main aircraft maintenance and recycling centres in Europe, being the largest on the continent.
Its facilities play a crucial role in the European aviation industry, storing and recycling mainly commercial aircraft.
Teruel offers an ideal dry climate for long-term storage and preservation of aircraft, as the lack of humidity slows down corrosion.
We’ve saved the best for last. Without a doubt, the prize for the most impressive aircraft graveyards goes to the United States. Because of its size and climate, it is an ideal country for these types of places.
Apart from AMARG in Arizona, in the USA we can find some of the following aircraft depots:
Known for storing commercial and military aircraft, this desert airport also serves as a centre for aerospace innovation. It has even served as a testing ground for experimental aircraft and spacecraft.
In addition, its distinctive landscape has made it a recurring backdrop for many films and TV series.
Another large facility for long-term storage of aircraft. Its nearly 1,000 hectares store hundreds of aircraft, both commercial and military.
It also offers repair, maintenance and overhaul services, making it a key hub for US aviation.
Kingman Airport is another spot in the Arizona desert that has become a popular location for retired aircraft. It also has a recycling plant, so it is also used for this purpose.
