What do you do with a retired aircraft?

If there is no buyer for an aircraft, then it will usually head to an aircraft scrapyard (often called an aircraft graveyard or boneyard). This could be a short term storage option until a buyer is found or the market improves. Or it could be for immediate or slower breakdown and recycling for its parts.

How much is a retired Boeing 747?

There are 20 Boeing 747-400s worth more than $5.6 million, according to ch-aviation.com. These include jets from Thai Airways and Lufthansa, with each aircraft being listed as stored or in maintenance.

Why is 747 being retired?

The steep drop in travel caused some airlines to move up retirement dates for aging aircraft. Older aircraft are on the chopping block as airlines turn to newer ones like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 XWB. The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 are quickly vanishing due to their size and cost to operate.

What does a used 747 cost?

Depending on numerous factors, the average price for a pre-owned BOEING 747-400 is $3,500,000.00. A $10,000,000.00 loan over 120 months including $41666.67 per month in interest equates to a $501,437.15 per-period payment.

What’s a Boeing 747 worth?

COST. Today, the newest model of the 747, the 747-8, is on sale from Boeing for $386.8 million US. But if you are interested in buying a second hand 747-200, prices vary widely.

What happens to the scrap metal from a Boeing 747?

A 747 contains around 66 tons of high strength aluminum, much of which will be recycled into everything from bike frames to drinks cans. Overall, when a 747 is scrapped, the dismantler can hope to recover around $6.8 million. The scrap metal is recycled into many everyday products.

Why is the Boeing 747 so famous?

Earning the moniker “queen of the skies,” the 747 was postage stamp famous, an icon of pop culture, and the backdrop of movies, television and a flying emblem of the US presidency as Air Force One.

How many Boeing 747s will ever be reused?

Typically, 30\% of the aircraft will be reused in other 747s. Fourth, and something fairly unique to the 747, is the safe removal of hazardous material. Notably, earlier versions of the 747 used depleted uranium as counterweights, with each aircraft containing between 692 and 1059 pounds of DU.

Can you buy a ticket to fly on a Boeing 747?

Marana, Ariz. (CNN) — For the first time in 48 years, you can’t buy a ticket on a US airline to fly on a Boeing 747. On January 3, Delta Air Lines Flight 9771 touched down in Marana, Arizona, an arid boneyard for stored and cannibalized jetliners.