Photos: Arizona’s Pinal Airpark Houses Airline Fleets from Around the World

Located north of Tucson, Ariz., Pinal Airpark is a small, single-runway airfield that bears witness to some of the world’s most iconic jets. The airport has several vendors on-site who manage the storage and reclamation processes for these aircraft. For years, Pinal Airpark has served as a so-called “boneyard,” where aircraft are stored and parted out. It has continually evolved to different aviation industry trends over the years.

As the COVID-19 outbreak took hold on the world, airlines saw unprecedented drops in demand with load factors for airlines on several continents falling into the single-digits. As a result of airlines going from peak profitability to travel demand that at one point struggled to fill regional jets in the span of a few weeks, many aircraft that just a couple of months ago were often overbooked daily were no longer needed.

Many jets were placed into storage programs at several airports. Pinal Airpark has seen a massive surge in demand in recent months as its surrounding dry climate is ideal for long-term aircraft storage. At one point, the small airpark was seeing upwards of seven arrivals each day on its 5,000-foot runway.

There are approximately 300 aircraft stored at Pinal Airpark from several airlines. AirlineGeeks recently visited the facility (on the ground) in April.

Photos: AirlineGeeks | Ryan Ewing

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport operations and customer service while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with pursuing a concurrent MBA and law program. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. In addition to supporting AirlineGeeks, Ryan works full-time in the aviation industry.

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