Airplane Graveyard near Victorville, CA
#31
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
That's so cool! Did you have to do any planning with anyone working? Or just walk along the fence? I'm only a few hours from there and always wanted to go take a look.
Edit: And did you have any issues with security guards giving you issues, even from outside of the fence? I've known more than a few that take their job, uh.. "extra seriously"
Edit: And did you have any issues with security guards giving you issues, even from outside of the fence? I've known more than a few that take their job, uh.. "extra seriously"
I have heard of people getting barked at for being at the fence by the buildings but never heard of anyone having a problem looking through the desert fence. Note I did very little walking. First I was alone so I was one snake, scorpion or fall away from having a serious problem and being alone. Second and more importantly even though I was wearing long pants all the overgrown plants were Russian thistle which has a mild toxin and numbs the skin it touches. I had no interest in dealing with that so I only walked up to the fence where there was a gap in the brush. A lot of my best shots are from the cab of the truck or from standing in the back.
#32
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 578
My only planning was renting a truck. The road along the fence is just a rutted track but it is a legal public road. I had no problem with anyone around the back by the planes, or at the front of buildings where I encounter a van of other av geeks. I was going to offer them a ride around the back to see the good stuff but I had just come back from there and the drive was so painfully slow I couldn't think of doing it again.
I have heard of people getting barked at for being at the fence by the buildings but never heard of anyone having a problem looking through the desert fence. Note I did very little walking. First I was alone so I was one snake, scorpion or fall away from having a serious problem and being alone. Second and more importantly even though I was wearing long pants all the overgrown plants were Russian thistle which has a mild toxin and numbs the skin it touches. I had no interest in dealing with that so I only walked up to the fence where there was a gap in the brush. A lot of my best shots are from the cab of the truck or from standing in the back.
I have heard of people getting barked at for being at the fence by the buildings but never heard of anyone having a problem looking through the desert fence. Note I did very little walking. First I was alone so I was one snake, scorpion or fall away from having a serious problem and being alone. Second and more importantly even though I was wearing long pants all the overgrown plants were Russian thistle which has a mild toxin and numbs the skin it touches. I had no interest in dealing with that so I only walked up to the fence where there was a gap in the brush. A lot of my best shots are from the cab of the truck or from standing in the back.
I wonder what it would take to get access to the actual airfield. From what I can tell, it'd be difficult since the planes are still private property? It'd be an amazing experience though!
#33
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
I tried, and tried, and tried through SCLA. No reply to social media (either) and I didn't want to cold call every time business that works out of SCLA though i am sure that would have worked (eventually).
#34
Join Date: May 2015
Location: South Florida
Programs: DL Skymiles KE Skypass
Posts: 2,362
Stupid question, but why would airlines keep these planes stored for so long before "recycling" them for either parts or scrap metal? I know some should be kept for historical reasons, but if they are now considered obsolete, the metal should be able to be melted down to turn into something else. The composite materials may be a different situation.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,356
it's not a trivial process to strip potentially reusable items out of an airliner (not all countries' airworthiness requirements, especially for second-hand items, are necessarily as rigorous as those of the FAA. but there's a lot of recordkeeping associated with manufacturers, part numbers, serial numbers, etc); it's also not a trivial process to cut up the airframe after it's been stripped
#37
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,520
No tours. Unless you know someone 'on the inside', you're restricted to taking photos from outside the fence. Bring a long telephoto lens. What Madone59 did (rent an off-road-capable vehicle and drive around the perimeter on dirt tracks) will get you as close to the aircraft as possible. I tried doing this last December when in the area, but had to abandon the plan due to my rental SUV's lack of ground clearance.
Maybe contact Comav (the company involved with aircraft operations on the premises) and ask if there's options to have a look: ComAv | Contact
Maybe contact Comav (the company involved with aircraft operations on the premises) and ask if there's options to have a look: ComAv | Contact
#38
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Aluminum, WN B+
Posts: 929
#39
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: DUS
Posts: 30
I am curious as to the ownership of the aircraft once they are sent to one of these graveyards. It is surely not for free that the graveyard hosts all these aircraft for a lenghty period of time? Or rather do they buy the retired aircraft from the airlines at a next-to-nothing cost in the hopes of recouping the invest through spare parts or rather raw metal afterwards?
Also interesting how some aircraft from @Madone59's visit (cool pics, thanks!) have their logos or name in the fuselage sealed or repainted. As if one couldn't identify the redish kangaroo on that red tail, or the half covered Lufthansa logo What would be the reason for doing that on a soon-to-be scrapped aircraft?
Also interesting how some aircraft from @Madone59's visit (cool pics, thanks!) have their logos or name in the fuselage sealed or repainted. As if one couldn't identify the redish kangaroo on that red tail, or the half covered Lufthansa logo What would be the reason for doing that on a soon-to-be scrapped aircraft?
#40
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Aluminum, WN B+
Posts: 929
Also interesting how some aircraft from @Madone59's visit (cool pics, thanks!) have their logos or name in the fuselage sealed or repainted. As if one couldn't identify the redish kangaroo on that red tail, or the half covered Lufthansa logo What would be the reason for doing that on a soon-to-be scrapped aircraft?
A person who can identify an airline just by color scheme without the logo isn't likely to be turned off by an airplane in a visibly unairworthy condition.
Last edited by Lost; Mar 25, 2018 at 10:34 am
#41
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 463
I am curious as to the ownership of the aircraft once they are sent to one of these graveyards. It is surely not for free that the graveyard hosts all these aircraft for a lenghty period of time? Or rather do they buy the retired aircraft from the airlines at a next-to-nothing cost in the hopes of recouping the invest through spare parts or rather raw metal afterwards?