photographing in airplane graveyards

[chris jordan]

Has anyone ever visited or photographed in one of the airplane graveyards? I have learned of two-- one near Tucson that is for military planes and another in the Mojave Desert that is commercial airliners. I'm interested to find out if they are fenced off and whether it is possible to gain access to photograph.

[Ron_5164]

Does anybody know what a retired 747 body would cost? My girlfriend has this crazy idea of plopping one on the top of a mountain on 10 acres we just bought and turning it into a house. I keep telling her she's crazy, but she insists that she's taking her meds. I can't convince her that it can't be done, until I can convince her that we can't afford it. Any ideas of where to go to get pricing on one of these things?

[Frank Petronio]

They cost more than most houses...

Shipping containers are cheap ($10K) and there are architects who modify them for cheap living.

I wouldn't want to live in one, but I like the looks of a DC-3 over a newer jet anyday. Might make a nice office...

[Randy Redford]

I know that as of last year, the graveyard north of Tucson is fenced off and there is a guard shack with an armed sentry who turned me away as soon as he found out that I did not have a magnetic badge. Can't say anything about the other graveyard.

[John Kasaian]

Frank,

I must be living in the slums---40' cargo containers in my part of the world are going for $1500 and thats decked out with a spiffy coat of gray or red primer. The ones with "art" on 'em cost less! ;-)

[Matt Long]

Ron:

If you intend to live in a airliner fuselage perched on a mountaintop, I'll bet that the first visitors to knock on your front door will be from the search and rescue team! :-)

[John Kasaian]

Ron,

Would that mean your diet would consist of airline food? UUUUgh!

[Ralph Barker]

Ron - you could probably get a sales contact through the Mojave Airport site. Then, enquire about rental of one of those sky cranes (do they still fly the Sikorskis?) that might just be able to move it to your mountain top. Add to that the cost of a form-fitted concrete foundation, and all the curtains you'd need to cover all those little windows, and you may have a convincing contra-case to present to your GF. ;-)

[Jeffrey Sipress]

Oh man, you would then have to use those tiny bathrooms all the time! I wonder if they're easier to operate when they are not constantly shaking around.

[Ernest Purdum]

For Tucson, perhaps a letter to the Davis-Monthan A.F.B. public affairs officer would gain you permission. For Mojave, try www.mojaveairport.com. Worth a try.

[d burdeny]

I know Keith Carter did a semi-recent series in one of them. I wonder how he got in? Why not drop him an email. You never know...

[John Kasaian]

There was a person selling hulls on ebay motors---I don't remember if they were 747s, but go to ebay motors and check out the aircraft. Once a pressurized airliner reaches its cycles it's value is mostly as scrap metal.

[tim atherton]

Per Volquartz who used to post on photo.net has done a lot of what looks like work with or in cooperation with air force/defence contractors in his "Instruments of Death" series - not the aircraft graveyardss, but he might know who to talk to. http://www.volquartz.com/pervolquartz/

There's also another photogorpaher who did a whole series, whose name escapes me. I'll see if I can track it down

[tim atherton]

have you read Underworld by DeLillo?

[John Kasaian]

Chris, there is a company that does tours in the Davis-Monthan graveyard. At least there used to be before 911. I think it was operated by one of the salvage outfits there. An e-mail to the Tuscon CVB would be a good place to start, as well as the Public Affairs Officer at Davis-Monthan. Watch out for rattlers! ----------Cheers!

[Rob Tucher]

A lot of shows and movies are filmed in airplane graveyards. Makes for interesting drama for chases and hide-and-seek, and the planes are used to simulate working ones for hijack scenes. But Hollywood pays a lot for access and demolition rights. I bet there is a hefty fee attached to getting in for any kind of shooting. They would see such an endeavor as commercial and so would want to share in what you might get.

[Eric Woodbury]

Tucson has the Pima Air Museum. I have photographed there and it can be quite good.

http://www.pimaair.org/pasmhome.shtml

There is a junk yard across the street, but I was turned away from there. There is also the airbase there where many planes are mothballed. Used to be that you could go there once a month, but that was pre Sept 11. Doesn't hurt to ask, you know the possible answers.

[Graeme Wilson]

I was doing a little research on the Mojave site - this seems pertinent....

"How can I get permission to get into the storage area to photograph the airliners?

Unfortunately, this is not possible. AVTEL Services manages all the airliners stored at Mojave, and AVTEL is under contract to maintain a high level of security around the aircraft, as many of them are still owned by airlines and will fly again. The only way to obtain access to a specific aircraft is to first obtain written permission from the owners, and then arrange an escort through AVTEL."

[Bazza]

"Read this found on the net while surfing"

Living in a plane????

Take the Plane
People live in boats, railway carriages, even in converted buses, so why not live in an aeroplane?

It's a difficult proposition in the UK, but certainly in the States it is feasible. There are companies selling off redundant aircraft to people who have a plot of land to put them. Or should I say a plot to land them in? It is reckoned that you need at least an acre to give you enough room.

The B734 shown to the side is 153 feet long and is often sited on hilltops to get a good view. (See the B747 below.) This makes quite a spectacular home.


One company will sell you a steel tube that is placed in the ground on spot footings. The tube carries all the service pipes, and even a lift if you so want. The plane is then fitted on top of the tube in such a way that it will rotate with the wind, acting rather like a giant weather-vane

You can have a fixed staircase instead of a lift. This is fitted to the wings, and so rotates with the plane, so access could be a bit bumpy in a gale. But who said this was a boring way to live?

The wings are altered prior to sale, so that the ailerons do not move. The engines are also removed. In fact it is guaranteed that the planes will no longer fly.

With all the inside bits and bobs removed, (luggage racks and bulkheads) there is quite a lot of space for a series of rooms 11 feet wide.

And there are two cargo holds underneath which can also be converted into living space or workrooms.


In Florida planes are often sited on boggy ground, or land designated as flood plain. This means one can live comfortably in a zone generally not considered conducive to habitation.

First buy your plot. It could be really cheap.



See whole article and pictures on here

http://www.property.org.uk/unique/projects/open.html