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FEATURE

practices, based on which development Buyers review a comprehensive list Image Courtesy : C & L Aviation Group
/ modifications of newer technology (of aircraft and engines), make offers to
with improvements can take place, for book, and pre-buy the material before a
safe and reliable operations. teardown commences. Aircraft docu-
ments are carefully scrutinised, parts
In today’s day and age, driving sustain- are identified for selection, and making
able practices recycling, repurposing, an offer for the listed items. These may
and reusing after repairs, has assumed include those not on the harvest list.
even greater significance. Materi- Not 100% of all parts (repairable)
als, such as aluminium, titanium, and that are harvested from aircraft facing
composites, can be upcycled for reuse a teardown, get sold. The numbers can
in other industries, thus reducing waste run up to thousands.
and environmental impact.
Value of Engines at the Aircraft Tear-
When buyers for an aircraft are hard down Stage
to come by, parting out the aircraft is Engines are one of the first parts to be
a practical solution. While selling a removed from the aircraft and are the
retired aircraft may be faster, the return highest-valued parts on the aircraft.
on harvested spare parts may be higher, Engines can be sold as a whole, leased,
at times. or torn down further for engine part
An aircraft teardown business is a spares, that other engine shops may
long-term investment (generally 3 to 5 use. Engines disassembly not only
years), and the upfront costs are in cer- requires highly skilled technicians but
due to being withdrawn permanently tification, freight, and storage. A robust also requires proper tooling and spe-
from service or operations. Here, the aftermarket parts market supports such cialized shipping containers that offer
aircraft is dismantled in parts. a business, additionally, these parts protection from damage. And finally,
Parts of an older model may still be may support one’s valuable spare parts having to depend on highly reliable
reused, and as such have value in the inventory. There are also the earnings logistics partners.
aftermarket parts market. The teardown that may come from selling parts to
business hence can be lucrative. Again, other operators in a batch. Disassembly Partner
a teardown allows a closer inspection or A teardown business also sells com- A careful study of reviews and refer-
a deeper understanding of the various ponents from retired aircraft or engines ences of potential aircraft teardown
components and their condition and that are being harvested, and preselling partners is very important. Testaments
performance, such as the engine, avion- those specific materials before the com- of their past work, their ability to travel
ics, landing gear, and more. Also, useful mencement of the dismantling process anywhere in the world, to perform
in identifying any potential issues. ever begins. Teardown companies then a teardown, with an adequate sales
Teardowns allow research on aircraft go about identifying buyers for each network for selling off parts quickly, are
design, performance, and maintenance part harvested. crucial parameters to consider.

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