On 27 May 2011 it was announced that Alice Springs Airport had been selected to be the first large-scale aircraft boneyard outside the United States. Alice Springs has been named as the location for Australia's first aircraft boneyard -- a graveyard for aircraft past their use-by date. Air New Zealand to deep store Boeing 777 planes at Alice Springs 'boneyard' Alan Granville For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Qantas sold its last 747, along with five others, to General Electric. As the skies become emptied of planes like we’ve never seen before, the aircraft population in Australia’s outback is booming. Earth moving machines are working south of the main runway. … 77 Squadron farewells F/A-18A/B Hornets, Breaking: RAAF Super Hornet crashes and pilots eject. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada Contains 23 old Fokker F-28 Fellowships of Canadian Regional Airlines and Air Canada Jazz Planes stored off service roads north of 09/27. Agreement for the construction and operation of the facility was finalised this week between Alice Springs Airport Pty Ltd (ASA) and Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Pty Ltd (APAS). 4 May, 2020 02:11 PM. The Northern Territory government has announced it will invest a further $3.5 million into the Alice Springs ‘boneyard’ so it can store 100 aircraft. Air New Zealand HR chief exits after overseeing... FTA offers affordable flight training amid COVID-19 challenges, Melbourne restarts hotel quarantine program. Earlier this week, Australian Aviation uncovered footage of Qantas’ last 747, VH-OEJ, landing at the Mojave Air and Space Port boneyard in California. A team of flight mechanics have to inspect the aircraft weekly, to minimise the time it would take to get them flight ready again. The 'boneyard' is normally home to retired commercial and military aircraft. Singapore and its subsidiary air lines, scoot and silk, are storing millions of dollars of aircraft in Alice Springs. The location is similar to the famous Mojave Desert aircraft boneyard in California, with vast unused spaces, and dry conditions to prevent aircraft from corrosion, in case panels and parts can be salvaged for other planes still in service. Photographer Steve Strike took images of the aircraft stored in Alice Springs, which he estimated to be worth almost $5billion. “It’s a pretty complex job, huge volume of work and it keeps our engineers busy,” Vincent said. Well its actually a storage spot for planes to be stored and maintained before being put … Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage, which is connected to Alice Springs' main runway has been proposing the site for aircraft storage since the early 2000s. It is understood the facility will be used to store aircraft from all over the world at the end of their working life. The double-decker planes are an imposing sight at Alice Springs airport. "Obviously it's not the ideal circumstances around the current situation with Covid-19, however this is a great opportunity for Alice Springs," airport general manager Dave Batic told ABC news. Alice Springs desert becomes airplane 'graveyard' for Singapore A380s. What happens now? “Once it’s proved, I think a lot of people will use the facility beyond coronavirus.”. It's a very colorful collection indeed, and its history ain't bad either. The global pause on air travel may either put an early retirement to the double decker super jumbos or, as some experts predict, give them a second lease of life. The dry climate allows for long-term storage with minimal corrosion. The Max 8s have been waiting for action since last year, when the Boeing aircraft model was linked to fatal air crashes. Some $5billion worth of Aircraft from around the world now being holed up in the desert near Alice Springs due to COVID-19 travel downturn. Photo / Fritz Hiersche, Getty Images. It occupies a site of 110 acres. Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage. NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner called APAS a “complete gamechanger” for the industry that had worked “extremely well in America”. But don't hold your breath. Please direct all enquiries to: E-mail: info@apas.com.au Phone: +617 3171 4570 Fax: +617 3833 6742. Before the pandemic, APAS was home to just 18 aircraft at any one time. There's a lot more to mothballing planes than simply parking up and leaving the multi-million-dollar aircraft. Advertisement JAMIE SMYTH: The former Deutsche Bank debt analyst came up with the idea for an aircraft boneyard while studying for his pilot's licence. The airport, IATA: MHV, is located within the Mojave Air and Space Port and has been storing aircraft since the 1970s. A number of the latest arrivals, which include a Boeing 737 from Nauru's Our Airline, have been stripped of some of their livery. 11:50am local time on July 24, 2020. 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Postal Address: PO Box 1027, Aircraft Storage at Alice Springs in ... - Airplane boneyards Due to the lack of travel, major airlines have flown in huge portions of their fleets for the foreseeable future. The Alice Springs boneyard appears to be almost reaching its new expanded capacity of 100 aircraft after the Northern Territory government invested $3.5 million into the site in July. "It's quite a process to put the aircraft into storage, [but] once the storage-induction check is complete, we'll then start carrying out the periodic checks every week," the APAS director Tom Vincent told ABC. The A380s were due to be phased out of production by manufacturers Airbus in 2021. Like other boneyards around the globe, it boasts ideal environmental conditions. Currently, the facility is storing 44 aircraft and it has already received a $1 million infrastructure grant. "I can't imagine the long term effects of this. The dry climate in Alice Springs makes it an ideal location for aircraft storage. “We have nearly 50 employees here full-time maintaining the aircraft, ensuring they are in a condition so they can be returned to service.”. Planes can be preserved in excellent condition before returning to service or being recycled. It is understood the facility will be used to store aircraft from all over the world at the end of their working life. The upgrade will help create 55 local jobs and will involve building new roads to ensure the facility’s capacity can be quickly doubled. “Storing aircraft is not just a coronavirus issue but obviously more planes are grounded than flying so there is a unique opportunity here,” Chief Minister Gunner told NT News. "Obviously it's not the ideal circumstances around the current situation with Covid-19, however this is a great opportunity for Alice Springs," airport general manager Dave Batic told ABC news. Pinal Air Park, Arizona, USA. Alice Springs, which is best known as an aircraft boneyard and storage facility, is set to benefit from a $3.5 million investment from the Nothern Territory (NT) government. The boneyard is operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) which chose Alice Springs because its dry, arid climate is ideal for aircraft storage and … More old planes have recently been arriving at Alice Springs Airport, where the first major aircraft ‘graveyard’ outside of the United States has been established. The first time the town of 25,000 has received such a large aircraft, it would be even more impressive were there not already six Boeing MAX 8s and 13 narrow body aircraft waiting in the desert. 3 minutes to read. Like the famous Arizona Boneyard in Tucson which stores 4500 aircraft, the conditions in the Northern Territory are perfect for conserving aircraft. It makes an excellent choice for Australian and Asian airlines, especially for short term storage, as it avoids a flight to storage in the US. Listen: The legendary characters of Rarotonga, App lets you find seats on private jets amid pandemic travel woes, Mystery of Korea's superjumbos on 'flights to nowhere', Four (more) reasons to try the TranzAlpine this summer, Seven tips for a summer holiday with three generations, Michelle Langstone: A weekend in New Zealand's prettiest city, Royal train tour: Rare glimpse inside Queen's green machine, Great Barrier Island: Aotea Track hike guide, Watch: Travis Pastrana hits 250km/h jump in wildest Gymkhana ever, UK coronavirus vaccine: Side effects, safety and who gets it first, Christchurch mosque attacks: Jacinda Ardern promises to close 'gaps in hate speech legislation'. Like the famous Arizona Boneyard in Tucson which stores 4500 aircraft, the conditions in the Northern Territory are perfect for conserving aircraft. The local airport authorities said they were struggling during the downturn in air traffic, though the opportunity to store aircraft was a lifeline for the regional hub. The Northern Territory government has announced it will invest a further $3.5 million into the Alice Springs ‘boneyard’ so it can store 100 aircraft. Aircraft ‘boneyard’ for Alice Springs. Like many so-called boneyards, APAS is chosen by airlines because its low precipitation and hot weather reduce rust, while staff are on-hand to carry out the 100-plus maintenance tasks per year required to keep aircraft operational. Stage one of the multi-million dollar Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) at Alice Springs covers about 10 hectares and includes two access roads, a maintenance shed, a hard-stand area for up to 25 planes and a pad on which parts can be removed or added to aircraft. Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage is modelled on some of the large boneyards in California and Arizona, which refurbish and return aircraft to active service or break them up and sell their parts. [10] The facility, which commenced operation in June 2014, [11] is operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Ltd. APAS chose Alice Springs because its dry, arid climate is perfect for aircraft storage and preservation. The airline researchers at the Monash University business school predict if social distancing continues the larger, wide-body aircraft may be needed to space out passengers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Airlines were increasingly relying on smaller more fuel efficient aircraft such as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Last week four a380 Jumbo Jets arrived at Alice Springs airport in the middle of the red, Australian outback. As in the States, Australia’s desert and constant dry heat have created the perfect environment for storing and preserving aircraft for extended periods of time. Until then the giant, $700million aircraft will be waiting in the Australian desert. The upgrade will help create 55 local jobs and will involve building new roads to ensure the facility’s capacity can be quickly doubled. Singapore Airlines and subsidiary airlines Scoot and Silk are storing the aircraft in the arid outback to preserve the excess fleet for a time post-Covid-19, when demand for air travel takes off once again. It simply cannot afford to leave the planes in Changi Airport to rust. Billions of dollars worth of passenger jets are waiting out the pandemic in the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage facility near Alice Springs, where the dry climate … This new investment package will see it double its workforce and is predicted to inject more than $10 million dollars, directly and indirectly, into the NT’s economy. "All of the aircraft here are actively maintained," he said, gesturing to two nearby aircraft that were being "re-activated". Aircraft have to be sealed airtight and filled with non corrosive gases, while engines are covered to protect them from the weather. Alice Springs, NT, AUS. End of the era 1971-2020 #Qantas747 pic.twitter.com/b7bO9hC1Y4, — Sam Chui (@SamChuiPhotos) July 25, 2020. Singapore and its subsidiary air lines… The future of aviation and travel–boneyards in the desert! Work has started on construction of the aircraft “boneyard” at the Alice Springs airport. The facility, located adjacent to Alice Springs Airport, is often referred to as an "airplane graveyard" but Mr Vincent said that was a bit of a misconception. Work has started on construction of the aircraft “boneyard” at the Alice Springs airport. “Obviously it’s not the ideal circumstances around the current situation with Covid-19, however this is a great opportunity for Alice Springs,” airport general manager Dave Batic told ABC news. I don't think anyone has any idea how travel in the world will be in the future," he said about the photos. Tom Vincent, who owns the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) maintenance facility, separately told the ABC that parking spaces were “definitely in demand”. Something that the Singapore flight base has difficulty with due to heat and humidity. It will also entail building new roads to … The graveyard shares runways with Alice Springs airport, the largest of which can handle the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. “As soon as extra spots for storage come online, there are aircraft filling those spots,” Vincent said. Earth moving machines are working south of the main runway. Ever wonder what all the planes parked at the Alice Springs airport are doing? The investment will help create 55 local jobs. Clock. : Mountainview, Ontario Canada Used primarily for storage of older RCAF Aircraft. (ABC News: Mitchell Abram)Dry in the Red Centre. It's not just local residents who are intrigued to see the aircraft graveyard arrive on their doorstep. The initial stage of the world's newest "boneyard" at Alice Springs Airport was completed last year but it was not until June this year that it received its first plane – an Embraer turboprop. Four A380 jumbo jets have landed at an Alice Springs aeroplane “graveyard” that’s become the perfect resting place for grounded aircraft to wait out the coronavirus pandemic. Alice Springs travel guide APAS first opened in 2011 with capacity to store the world's largest passenger plane, but it's believed this is the first time A380s have been stored there. Like the famous Arizona Boneyard in Tucson which stores 4500 aircraft, the conditions in the Northern Territory are perfect for conserving aircraft. The last landing of @Qantas B747-400/ER VH-OEJ at Mojave. Alice Springs Airport (ASP) Where: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia; What’s there: In 2012, Alice Springs Airport became the first official “large-scale” aircraft boneyard located outside the US. The first dedicated aircraft storage facility outside the US is to be built at Alice Springs Airport. Location Country Notes Alice Springs, Northern Territory Australia First large-scale aircraft boneyard outside the United States. The Mojave facility is one of the world's top destinations for retired aircraft. Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Pty Ltd. ABN 22 137 509 525 Alice Springs Airport, Alice Springs NT 0870 Australia. However, one questions when these aircraft will see service again – for Singapore Airlines or any other airline. 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