Gallery: Inside Aircraft Recycling At Air Salvage International

Aviation Week Network recently visited Air Salvage International’s (ASI) facility at Cotswold Airport in the UK to get a behind-the-scenes look at its aircraft recycling operations. Pictured here are the remains of a Boeing 747 being gathered up for the recycling process.

ASI’s Hangar 1 is dedicated to lease return-related activity. This Nile Air Airbus A320, owned by lessor Castlelake, is undergoing engine work.

Hangar 2 is dedicated to disassembly activity. Pictured here is a Boeing 737-300 freighter formerly operated by cargo airline holding company West Atlantic. It was converted to cargo configuration in 2004.

The disassembly hangar has eight bays, and each bay represents a different aircraft that is being disassembled.

From left: 1. A 34-year-old West Atlantic Boeing 737-300 freighter undergoing disassembly. The parts will be returned to West Atlantic to support its own fleet.

2. These landing gears were removed as serviceable from an Airbus A319 operated by My Wings from Croatia. The engines were returned to the owners, Trade Air, and the airframe was sold to Magellan in the U.S.

3. An IAE V2500 engine removal from a Nile Air Airbus A320 following the end of its lease. The engine was removed as serviceable and will be returned to Nile Air, which owns one of the two engines.

4. The engines on this Airbus A319 have been removed following lease return and the aircraft was sold to Werner Aero.

Disassembled aircraft engines hold substantial residual value, particularly if parts are certified, airworthy and in demand.

This Airbus A320 was bought by Delta Air Lines specifically for its engines and then flipped to a company called Stratus, which removed another 400 parts. The remaining airframe is owned by Skyline, an ASI division.

An IAE V2500 engine that was removed from an aircraft.

Engine cowlings from a former China Southern Airlines Airbus A319 will be boxed up and sent to Werner Aero in the U.S.

One of two Airbus A319s formerly operated by China Southern Airlines lined up for disassembly work.

Typically, some aircraft fuselage segments are purchased for use as training modules.

This Boeing 727-100 was originally acquired by ASI for its engines. It is now used for aircraft recovery training in conjunction with AMS Aircraft Recovery.

This Airbus A320 will be reassembled with wings and landing gears and sold to Heathrow Airport for training purposes. The helicopter is in storage following a recovery operation.

This Boeing 727, which is still airworthy, is owned by ASI CEO Mark Gregory. He owns two more 727s, including one previously operated by the Qatari government.