Global Aircraft Boneyards & Storage Depots
Arid climate storage facilities, recycling centers, and long-term preservation boneyards holding commercial aircraft retired or preserved worldwide.
Major Aircraft Storage & Recycling Facilities
KMZJ United States Pinal Airpark
Marana, Arizona, USA
Pinal Airpark is one of the world's most recognizable commercial aircraft storage and recycling facilities, situated in the arid desert of southern Arizona.
KVCV United States Southern California Logistics Airport
Victorville, California, USA
Formerly George Air Force Base, Victorville boasts one of the longest commercial runways in North America (15,050 ft), accommodating fully loaded widebody arrival and departure cycles.
LETL Spain Teruel Airport (Plataforma Aeroportuaria-PLATA)
Teruel, Aragon, Spain
Teruel Airport is Europe's premier industrial aeronautical park, dedicated exclusively to aircraft storage, maintenance, retrofitting, and end-of-life recycling.
YBAS Australia Alice Springs Airport / APAS
Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) at Alice Springs provides southern hemisphere airlines with premier preservation facilities in Australia's desert interior.
KROW United States Roswell Air Center
Roswell, New Mexico, USA
A former Strategic Air Command base, Roswell Air Center features immense ramp space and specialized aircraft dismantling facilities.
LFBT France Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees Airport
Tarbes, Occitanie, France
Home to Tarmac Aerosave's flagship European aircraft storage and green dismantling plant, situated near the Pyrenees.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aircraft Boneyards
Key details regarding desert storage preservation, teardowns, and reactivation.
Why are commercial aircraft boneyards located in desert climates?
Desert environments such as the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in the US, Teruel in Spain, and Alice Springs in Australia offer low humidity, minimal rainfall, and hard alkaline soil that prevents airframe corrosion and landing gear sinking.
What is the largest commercial aircraft boneyard in the world?
Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville (KVCV) and Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona (KMZJ) are the largest dedicated commercial aircraft storage and reclamation centers, each capable of hosting hundreds of airframes.
What happens to aircraft stored in desert boneyards?
Aircraft enter either active preservation (engines pickled and windows taped for eventual return to service or sale) or teardown part-out (engines, avionics, and landing gear harvested for spares before airframe aluminum recycling).
Can commercial aircraft stored in boneyards return to service?
Yes, airlines frequently recall stored airframes during peak travel seasons or delivery delays. Aircraft undergo heavy C-check or D-check inspections, systems reactivations, and test flights before passenger revenue flights resume.