Purchasing from aircraft graveyards.

[Nark]

I've done a bunch of searching and neither google or the search function found me anything.

I'm curious to know if anyone has info on stripping/purchasing parts off of mothballed aircraft?

I'm trying to put my handyman efforts to work after seeing a website that does the same thing, except for prices well beyond my budget.

I live in So Cal and would like to head to Mojave, but not before being a little better informed.

Thanks ahead for any info out there.

Cheers

 

[OhioStatePilot]

I've actually had the same idea, but none of the internet searching I've done has turned anything up. That and I just can't seem to find any good A/C graveyards here in Alabama...

 

[upup89]

sorry, Are you saying you actually wanna go to an airplane graveyard to price parts or just talk to someone on the phone?

Also, How big of aircraft are you talking?

Just a little confused...

 

[NickH]

I've visited an aircraft graveyard with a guy buying parts from a graveyard in Florida. There were several of ERAU's 172's there from that xmas storm, but we were after something else. It was a lot like being at the local pick-a-part car yard. Of course the airplane the part was going on was a pre-certification prototype, with an experimental cert.

 

[ctab5060X]

It can be viable business...

See here http://www.twinbeech18.com/

They specialize in the Twin Beech and I know several parts that were purchased for the Beech 18 I flew came from here and were parts that were salvaged and then rebuilt.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

I've visited an aircraft graveyard with a guy buying parts from a graveyard in Florida. There were several of ERAU's 172's there from that xmas storm, but we were after something else. It was a lot like being at the local pick-a-part car yard. Of course the airplane the part was going on was a pre-certification prototype, with an experimental cert.

I love taking fellow Embry-Riddle students of mine past the boneyard where I know there are Riddle planes. They are like, what is that "Junkyard". Quickly, they learn it's not junk, then they freak out that "Riddle planes crash?"

 

[OhioStatePilot]

I'm not sure about the OP, but my idea is more along the lines of Moto Art... coffee table out of an old airliner door, a metal prop polished up and stuck on the wall, things of that nature. Not trying to re-certify parts to install on aircraft, but taking unairworthy parts and putting them "out to pasture" instead of sending them to the shredder.

 

[Nark]

Yep thats the plan.

I got a price list from moto art and my jaw dropped.

They do have a lot of awsome stuff, was hoping I'd do something similar.

 

[ladder360]

If you get the info and plan to go to Mojave to check it out, let me know. I've been wondering about the same thing and would be up for a quick trip over there.

 

[OhioStatePilot]

I'm kinda in the same boat. It'd be a haul for me to get there and last thing I really want to do is spend the time and money to get there only to find out that I either can't get the cool stuff, or I'm going to spend an arm and a leg to take it home.

 

[jml2992]

From my experiences over there, most of the aircraft that are parked at MHV are still owned by the leasing companies after they were repoed or retired from the respective airline fleet. If they are taking some of the airplanes apart, they are usually robbing parts for other a/c that still work and shipping them out AOG. I'll see if I can dig up the name of the place out there. I used to spend about five days a week out there while my guys were getting ready for solo because Bakersfield is at the bottom of the valley and the fog gets a little thick during the winter. What I did see from the air was a lot of HA DC10's, BAX DC8, a couple of BAC-11/L1011/DC9/A330 hulks. Are you looking for small single engine aircraft?

 

[dvtpilot]

Anyone got any info on the boneyard down near TUS? I've always wondered if you can buy things outta there......

 

[skybobb]

There is one listed in Bates City, MO. Google White Industries, or White Aircraft Salvage. 1013 N. Outer Road, Bates City, 64011. phone: 816-690-8800 or (800) 821 7733.

 

[skybobb]

Another big salvage place is in MN. called Wentworth aircraft Salvage.

 

[MikeD]

Anyone got any info on the boneyard down near TUS? I've always wondered if you can buy things outta there......

Which one?

 

[dvtpilot]

I dunno........I thought there was one right near TUS and one near marana or something....or even if theres one in PHX....its been so long since I've stepped foot in an airplane that I cant remember

 

[OhioStatePilot]

As far as I'm concerned, I'm interested in whatever cool parts I could find to make something with. Although I don't think I'd feel good about ruining a part that could be re-certified and returned to service, especially if it was a vintage part that's not easily found elsewhere.

I really haven't done too much looking into it, I just think it's an interested idea to make something from some junk.

 

[inventor]

Over years of searching and finding nothing, I've come to some conclusions...

Civilian aircraft:
1. If you own the aircraft that was retired, have at it.
Strip anything and reuse. Some parts don't need recertification.
The airframe can be flown again, by you, and put into service, apparently.
2. If you didn't own the aircraft:
Parts : you can't buy it, you can buy it, you can't recertify it, you can recertify it. The answer will always be, 'it depends'.
Airframe: You can be shot for asking, it can used for display only, God would need approval to get it airborne again.

Once an aircraft is 'put out to pasture', it's like a horse with a broken leg, it'll never fly again. Maybe like a winged horse with a broken wing.

Military aircraft: They can apparently just do whatever the hell they want. Heck, they can even strip parts out to keep the space shuttle flying.

 

[Itchy]

Back in the day when a 74 classic was getting the guillotine, I thought how cool would it be to take the wingtips with a huge band saw and maybe one foot of wing, and mount them on either side of my shed. Hook up the nav lights and strobes.

As far as the OP, with an old airliner say, if you do not have complete logs it will never fly again because every single component would have to get re certified, it it even can. In other words, most of the old airliners out there are going to be screen doors sooner or later.

 

[wheelsup]

Guys he's not trying to make it fly again, he wants to make furniture or art out of the pieces.