Airplane Boneyard Tours

Visiting Large Boneyards in the Western U.S.

Located in Arizona, California and New Mexico are seven major airplane boneyards, each in dry, low-humidity desert environments and offering long runways and extensive storage areas.

Virtually all airplane boneyards and storage facilities are limited access sites.

Boneyards typically do not allow visitors and do not provide tours.

We encourage potential visitors to check with individual sites to learn about access policies and tours.

Shown below is a list of these boneyard facilities ... click the facility name for visitor & tour information.

As always, we recommend obeying all warning signs and avoiding restricted areas.

Boneyard Visitor Information
Davis-Monthan AFB AMARG Tucson
AZ
Phoenix Goodyear Airport Phoenix
AZ
Pinal Airpark Marana
AZ
Kingman Airport Kingman
AZ
Mojave Air and Space Port Mojave
CA
Southern California Logistics Airport Victorville
CA
Roswell International Air Center Roswell
NM

 

Map of major airplane boneyards and storage facilities in the deserts of the western USA

 

Boneyard Tours of the Davis-Monthan AFB AMARG Facility in Tucson

AMARG is a controlled-access facility and off-limits to personnel without the proper clearance.

AMARG Tour Information

In the past, AMARG bus tours have originated at the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum, phone 520.574.0462

At the present time the tour has been indefinitely suspended by request of the U.S. Air Force.

 


Touring the Pinal County Airpark Near Tucson, Arizona

The Pinal Airpark, located in Marana, Arizona, northwest of Tucson, is a county-owned airport just north of the Pinal/Pima county line along Interstate 10.

Entrance area to the Pinal Airpark in Arizona
Entrance area, Pinal Airpark (staff photo)

Ascent Aviation Services offers secured ramp and storage area for all sizes of aircraft at the Pinal Airpark.

JetYard LLC is a FAA 145 Repair Station #7QAR515C, providing complete aircraft storage and parking along with part-out and disassembly services.

The Pinal Airpark can be reached via I-10 Exit 232 onto the Pinal Air Park Road ... the gate area is about 3 miles west of Interstate 10.

The Airpark is open to the public. However, there are though two distinct sides to the airport just like most others. The Airside which is the side where the planes are parked, the runway, and other areas that are dangerous or off limits for security reasons, and the Landside which is generally accessible to anyone.

The Pinal Airpark has limited availability for tours, as it is an operational airport. Please contact Christina M. Martinez at (520) 866-6448 or email PinalAirPark@pinalcountyaz.gov for information/tour questions.

Regarding photography at the Pinal Airpark: If you are on the public side of the airpark, photography is permitted. If you are on the Airside being escorted or on a tour you are asked not to, unless you are told you may. The reason is that many planes are missing engines or other recognizable parts, and some of the owners or operators of those aircraft have asked that people not take pictures because the planes are not in a good condition. It is asked that people respect the wishes of those owners and operators.

For more information, visit the website of the Pinal County Airpark and/or tenant companies and government agencies for current information on access.

... about the Pinal Airpark


Touring the Mojave Air and Space Port in California

Airliner storage area at the Mojave Airport in the California desert
Mojave Airport in California

The Mojave Air and Space Port and industrial park in the California desert is home to more than 60 companies engaged in flight development, highly advanced aerospace design, flight test and research, the wind industry, and heavy rail industrial manufacturing.

The Mojave airport is also a storage and reclamation facility for commercial airliners, due to the vast area and dry desert conditions.

The Mojave Air & Space Port does not offer tours to the public.

However, visitors are welcomed during the monthly “Plane Crazy Saturdays" to see the airport, static displays and possible fly-ins.

Also, the airport offers a Mojave Air and Space Port Virtual Driving Tour. The virtual tour includes 9 stops around the facility that highlight its major attractions. Very well done!

Boeing 747 being reclaimed at the Mojave Airport boneyard in California
Boeing 747 being reclaimed at the Mojave Airport in California (photo courtesy of the Mojave Air and Space Port)

 

The Voyager Restaurant is located onsite at the airport.

During official, major events, visitors should enter the airport property from the south on Airport Boulevard at the Highway 58 entrance. They will be directed to specific areas for parking and viewing.

For more information, contact the East Kern Airport District, 1434 Flightline, Mojave, CA 93501. Phone 661.824.2433, or visit the official website of the Mojave Air and Space Port

... about the Mojave Airport


Visiting the Phoenix Goodyear Airport

Sign at the entrance to Phoenix Goodyear Airport

The Phoenix Goodyear Airport is located about 20 miles west of downtown Phoenix, Arizona, and south of Interstate Highway I-10. The main entrance to the airport is from South Litchfield Road (exit 128 I-10). Highway 85 (Main Street) runs along the south portion of the airport property.

Phoenix Goodyear does not offer tours to the public.

The best viewing of the jetliners stored there is from South Bullard Avenue, which runs along the west side of the airport.

... about the Phoenix Goodyear Airport


Airbus A340-300 of Aerolineas Argentinas, registration LV-BIT, in desert storage at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport
Airbus A340-300 of Aerolineas Argentinas, registration LV-BIT, in desert storage at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport

Southern California Logistics Airport

Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA)

The Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) is situated about 7 miles northwest of downtown Victorville, California, and about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

It is located just north of Air Base Road (Air Expressway).

While you can drive through some of the the streets and roads at SCLA, most business and industry areas are restricted. No organized tours are available.

... about the Southern California Logistics Airport


Touring the Roswell International Air Center Area

Roswell International Air Center

The Roswell International Air Center (RIAC) is located five miles south of the central business district of the City of Roswell, New Mexico.

No organized tours are available at the RIAC.

The physical address of the Air Center is 1 Jerry Smith Circle, Roswell, New Mexico 88203.

... about the Roswell International Air Center


Kingman Airport and Industrial Park

Kingman Airport in Arizona

The Kingman Airport & Industrial Park is five miles north of Interstate 40 in Kingman, Arizona, and spans 4,000 acres. The industrial park is a vibrant commercial community, and home to more than 70 businesses in diverse fields, including the temporary storage of airliners.

No organized tours are available at the Kingman Airport.

For additional information on the airport and industrial park, contact the City of Kingman, 7000 Flightline Drive, Kingman AZ 86401, or phone 928.757.2134.

... about the Kingman Airport


Boneyard Safari Tours of the Aircraft Restoration & Marketing (ARM) Facility in Tucson

Aircraft Restoration & Marketing in Tucson Arizona
Photo courtesy of Aircraft Restoration & Marketing

Aircraft Restoration & Marketing (ARM) is located next to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. ARM has over 26 years of experience offering a full range of aircraft related services.

The company dismantles, transports, refurbishes and seeks replacement parts for both government and civilian aircraft, for businesses and individuals internationally.

ARM is located at 5080 E. Nebraska, Tucson, AZ 85706. Phone 520.574.1200 

Once a month the Boneyard Safari provides a hands-on tour in conjunction with ARM in Tucson. Docents guide guests through a C-130, DC-3/C-47, Boeing 727, and walk around various other aircraft including a C-27A, T-37, C-131F, HU-16, and P-3. The tour is limited to 3 hours due to hot weather conditions.

Boneyard Safari is located at 10645 N Oracle Road, Suite 121 - 101, Oro Valley, Arizona 85737. Phone 520.314.7478.

For more information:

Aircraft Restoration & Marketing (ARM)

Boneyard Safari

Tours offer walk through aircraft, history at Tucson "boneyard"
Arizona Daily Star - Tucson.com - 04/20/2017



Map of locations of major airplane boneyards and storage facilities in the United States and Around the World

click to view interactive map of airplane boneyards and aircraft storage facilities in the United States and around the world


Where Airliners Go to Die ... and Be Recycled

Special Report: How Airliners Are Scrapped and Recycled


Airliner Spotting Guides

Identification of different airliner types can be hard, considering the number of aircraft operating around the world daily, and in desert storage around the world.

Our new airliner spotting website includes visual guides for identifying jet airliners from Boeing and Airbus, as well as Bombardier, Embraer, Antonov and others.

... at AirlinerSpotter.com

Spotting Guides for Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and Bombardier jet airliners