A380s Dismantled for Parts as Pandemic Disruptions Continue
Airbus and Boeing jets are being dismantled for parts due to high demand. European aircraft storage company TARMAC Aerosave, on behalf of AerFin, is scheduled to dismantle over 10 Airbus A320neos and Boeing 737 MAXs this year.
The pandemic has caused a shortage of supplier capacity and delivery of new aircraft may be a decade or more away. As a result, the demand for used components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and windows is surging.
EirTrade Aviation bought two former Spirit Airlines A320neos in February, which were only 4 years and 3.5 years old respectively. The aircraft were torn down in Goodyear, Arizona, with the recovered parts shipped to EirTrade's Dallas hub for emergency orders across the Americas.
TARMAC Aerosave chief commercial officer Christian Ceruti said that their collaboration with AerFin confirms their position as a leading player in the dismantling and recycling market. They have worked together for about a decade and have more than 10 aircraft projects lined up for this year, including some already scheduled for 2027.
The engines alone can be a large share of an aircraft's value, and young jets are typically torn down due to damage or storage without engines, maintenance disputes, or ownership fights. This has led to a market where lightly used components sell at a premium, making it more cost-effective to strip a young aircraft rather than paying for repairs.