A look at the biggest aircraft graveyards across the world
- Here is a list of some of the largest aircraft graveyards or boneyards
- Some of these are used for storage
- While others have become hubs of aviation innovation
Published on Jul 14, 2024 at 3:13 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Jul 14, 2024 at 3:13 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Siddharth Dudeja
Aircraft graveyards serve various purposes, such as housing retired planes, storing aircraft with low demands, or scrapping a plane for parts.
Watching such a place house hundreds of aircraft is quite interesting.
Even the world’s biggest airports pale compared to the sheer number of planes housed in these graveyards.
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Biggest aircraft graveyards in the world
We made a short list of some of the largest aircraft graveyards in the world, and these are certainly a sight to behold.
Davis-Monthan United States Air Force Base
The Davis-Monthan United States Air Force Base is the biggest aircraft graveyard of all time.
After Japan retreated in September 1945, the United States Air Force had a massive surplus of aircraft.
The military base was an ideal location for an aircraft storage facility as it was located in the dry weather of Tucson, Arizona.
Most aircraft graveyards are located in deserts or places with little humidity to prevent corrosion and preserve the planes.
On average, the facility also stores 3,200 aircraft, 6,100 engines, and almost 300,000 line items of tooling and test equipment.
Mojave Air and Space Port
Located in California’s Mojave Desert, the airport has one of the biggest aircraft graveyards in the world.
When commercial planes are retired, many of them go to this airplane graveyard in the Mojave desert.
The Mojave Airport and Spaceport (MHV) might seem eerie, but the vast area and dry, low-humidity desert conditions make it an ideal location.
At one point, it housed around 145 operational aircraft, but now it is a hub of aviation innovation.
Teruel Airport
While most aircraft graveyards can be found in the Southwestern United States, there are some in the Middle East, Australia, and Europe.
The Teruel Airport is Europe’s largest aircraft graveyard, with room for around 250 planes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it housed around 100 aircraft, mainly from European airlines.
Located in northeastern Spain, in the Province of Aragon, it houses a growing number of retired airliners.
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Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
