Aircraft salvage yard

brien23

brien23

Cleared for Takeoff
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May 31, 2005
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Oak Harbor
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Display name:
Brien
Seems like the Aircraft Salvage yards are full and they are picky about what they are taking in and pay next to nothing for GA wrecked aircraft. Is this just the state of GA or is their just a overstock of wrecked aircraft in their inventory. They the wrecking yards don't seem to need any more aircraft but their prices on parts do not seem to reflect that. Even parts on ebay are not what they use to get,It pays to shop around as prices vary from yard to yard. Not that many years ago bidding on insurance wrecks by salvage yards and people looking for a project brought top dollar to the insurance companies.
 
Probably a confluence of factors.
Maybe supply in the salvage yards up because fewer airplanes being repaired/rebuilt today since the values have dropped so much and never really recovered since the financial crisis - one look at what a decent flying V-tail Bo goes for today, and hard to see how an even modestly damaged example can be economically repaired.

Engines and props are getting pretty dear. For most older model airplanes flown privately, like my '79 Aztec, if the engine(s) need to be replaced it appears to be less expensive to buy another airplane with good 1/3 to 1/2 time overhaul(s, swap them into your own airframe, sell the old engine cores and part out the left over airframe.
 
Airframes are pretty low profit items. Hell, even the raw aluminum is hardly worth the effort these days. Once you strip the engine, accessories, and the avionics, and a few other key parts out of them, the rest is pretty worthless scrap.
 
AIG Insurance Salvage list.
Salvage Craft Listing
Listing Number Aircraft FAA No Claim No Location Created Date Closing Date Status
2272 1968 Piper PA 28-140 N5724F 7036175912US Lancaster Texas 2016.07.27 2016.09.15 OPEN
2273 1963 Beech 23 N8704M 1054383556US Rantoul Kansas 2016.07.27 2016.09.15 OPEN
2270 1993 Piper PA 18-150 N41553 7921041555US Laurel Montana 2016.07.21 2016.09.15 OPEN
2271 1954 Cessna 180 N366GA 5682329283US Brainerd Minnesota 2016.07.26 2016.09.15 OPEN
2256 1987 Piper PA-46-310P N777PG 9994096697US Boise Idaho 2016.07.08 2016.09.15 OPEN
2261 2003 CESSNA 182T N21384 8700400920US CAPE MAY New Jersey 2016.07.12 2016.08.15 OPEN
2268 Piper PA22-135 N8279C 8990095465US Redlands California 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
2276 Cessna 172S N826SP 3741836961US Orlando Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2278 Thorp T-18 N252F 0197245841US Clarksville TN Tennessee 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2279 2005 Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNA P2004 Bravo N103TU 5945452897US Kissimmee Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2262 1977 CESSNA 182Q N735EP 0113564392US RUTLAND Vermont 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2263 2008 TECNAM SIERRA N323TC 5873212599US Clayton Delaware 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2267 1964 Mooney 20 N1989Y 8993319109US Kentland Indiana 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
2275 1977 Socata Rallye N319RA 8881776083US Griffin Georgia 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2264 1973 Cessna 182P N58625 5410954838US Williamsburg Virginia 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2277 PA-28-140 N2845T 7123884402US Clarksville Tennessee 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2269 1968 CESSNA 310 N100SH 3916480545US ELMIRA New York 2016.07.19 2016.08.15 OPEN
2251 Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18 N16BP 0841278835US Clayton Delaware 2016.06.23 2016.08.15 OPEN
2265 1968 Cessna 177 N302DB 2053209513US Booneville Arkansas 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2257 1972 Cessna 182P N21242 9168377445US Deer Park Washington 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2274 182K N2861R 0452684050US Jacksonville Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2253 1966 Beech A23A N5791V 7063595707US Lancaster Texas 2016.06.24 2016.08.15 OPEN
2258 2008 RV-6A N259MK 2787494237US Dallas Oregon 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2252 1969 Piper PA 28-140 N5769U 1693799303US Springfield Tennessee 2016.06.24 2016.08.15 OPEN
2255 2015 Rainbow Sky Reach Bushcat N273BC 4293156443US Greeley Colorado 2016.06.28 2016.08.15 OPEN
2254 Cessna T210L N59046 8223980087US Long Beach California 2016.06.27 2016.08.15 OPEN
2259 1961 Cessna 172B N7837X 9127359456US Pleasant Grove California 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2260 2007 VANS RV-8 N220RG 6046934478US KEENE New Hampshire 2016.07.12 2016.08.15 OPEN
2266 1963 Beech 35 N8544M 8207181331US Romeoville Illinois 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
 
flyingron said:
Airframes are pretty low profit items. Hell, even the raw aluminum is hardly worth the effort these days. Once you strip the engine, accessories, and the avionics, and a few other key parts out of them, the rest is pretty worthless scrap.
Click to expand...
It's always been that way. I've bought baggage door mod parts sawed out of old 172 fuselages for 100 bucks. I was just quoted $1000.00 for a complete 170 fuselage forward of the rear door post, flight controls much more expensive. 2500 for a stab, 1800 for a complete elevator, 1000 for a aileron.
 
brien23 said:
AIG Insurance Salvage list.
Salvage Craft Listing
Listing Number Aircraft FAA No Claim No Location Created Date Closing Date Status
2272 1968 Piper PA 28-140 N5724F 7036175912US Lancaster Texas 2016.07.27 2016.09.15 OPEN
2273 1963 Beech 23 N8704M 1054383556US Rantoul Kansas 2016.07.27 2016.09.15 OPEN
2270 1993 Piper PA 18-150 N41553 7921041555US Laurel Montana 2016.07.21 2016.09.15 OPEN
2271 1954 Cessna 180 N366GA 5682329283US Brainerd Minnesota 2016.07.26 2016.09.15 OPEN
2256 1987 Piper PA-46-310P N777PG 9994096697US Boise Idaho 2016.07.08 2016.09.15 OPEN
2261 2003 CESSNA 182T N21384 8700400920US CAPE MAY New Jersey 2016.07.12 2016.08.15 OPEN
2268 Piper PA22-135 N8279C 8990095465US Redlands California 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
2276 Cessna 172S N826SP 3741836961US Orlando Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2278 Thorp T-18 N252F 0197245841US Clarksville TN Tennessee 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2279 2005 Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNA P2004 Bravo N103TU 5945452897US Kissimmee Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2262 1977 CESSNA 182Q N735EP 0113564392US RUTLAND Vermont 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2263 2008 TECNAM SIERRA N323TC 5873212599US Clayton Delaware 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2267 1964 Mooney 20 N1989Y 8993319109US Kentland Indiana 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
2275 1977 Socata Rallye N319RA 8881776083US Griffin Georgia 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2264 1973 Cessna 182P N58625 5410954838US Williamsburg Virginia 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2277 PA-28-140 N2845T 7123884402US Clarksville Tennessee 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2269 1968 CESSNA 310 N100SH 3916480545US ELMIRA New York 2016.07.19 2016.08.15 OPEN
2251 Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18 N16BP 0841278835US Clayton Delaware 2016.06.23 2016.08.15 OPEN
2265 1968 Cessna 177 N302DB 2053209513US Booneville Arkansas 2016.07.14 2016.08.15 OPEN
2257 1972 Cessna 182P N21242 9168377445US Deer Park Washington 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2274 182K N2861R 0452684050US Jacksonville Florida 2016.08.01 2016.08.15 OPEN
2253 1966 Beech A23A N5791V 7063595707US Lancaster Texas 2016.06.24 2016.08.15 OPEN
2258 2008 RV-6A N259MK 2787494237US Dallas Oregon 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2252 1969 Piper PA 28-140 N5769U 1693799303US Springfield Tennessee 2016.06.24 2016.08.15 OPEN
2255 2015 Rainbow Sky Reach Bushcat N273BC 4293156443US Greeley Colorado 2016.06.28 2016.08.15 OPEN
2254 Cessna T210L N59046 8223980087US Long Beach California 2016.06.27 2016.08.15 OPEN
2259 1961 Cessna 172B N7837X 9127359456US Pleasant Grove California 2016.07.08 2016.08.15 OPEN
2260 2007 VANS RV-8 N220RG 6046934478US KEENE New Hampshire 2016.07.12 2016.08.15 OPEN
2266 1963 Beech 35 N8544M 8207181331US Romeoville Illinois 2016.07.18 2016.08.15 OPEN
Click to expand...
Major portion of that list are damaged beyond salvage, and will go to who ever is storing them for the cost of storage.
 
Remember that the value of the salvaged stuff probably goes up more than 10% per year. Where else can you get that kind of return?
 
nrpetersen said:
Remember that the value of the salvaged stuff probably goes up more than 10% per year. Where else can you get that kind of return?
Click to expand...
What orifice did you pull that number out of? Aircraft parts are not appreciating at 10%. We'd be making a killing if it were. Note that parts need to be stored. You either have a big warehouse that you're paying rent on or some dry climate land to store things outside which likely can make more money being redeveloped into townhouses.
 
flyingron said:
Airframes are pretty low profit items. Hell, even the raw aluminum is hardly worth the effort these days. Once you strip the engine, accessories, and the avionics, and a few other key parts out of them, the rest is pretty worthless scrap.
Click to expand...
The reduced spot prices for metals is hitting my business in the gonads too. Pre 2008 madness, I typically got $225-250 per ton for flattened cars. This last crush, I was quoted $115 per ton. This time last year, we were $65-70 per ton.

Other metals have followed suit, including aluminum. So F'Ron is dead on with his statement that a bare airframe for a piston single, stripped of all other valuables, isn't worth much across the scales.
 
nrpetersen said:
Remember that the value of the salvaged stuff probably goes up more than 10% per year. Where else can you get that kind of return?
Click to expand...
I too am interested in your source (verified citation please?).

Even if this is correct, it makes little sense to sit on a pile of metal or parts hoping/waiting for a significant upward movement in the market. In my industry, I make a better return crushing/selling now and reinvesting in cars/trucks with sellable parts than waiting for $25-50 per ton move that might never happen. Plus, I have no room to hold that much "dead" inventory (dead as in brings no revenue as it sits there).
 
If that business is anything like the auto salvage business, the parts that sell are the same parts that fail or wear out on most examples of a particular model. With one wreck, you have one of that part, maybe a couple, to sell. Once the popular stuff is gone, the rest just sits there and nobody wants it.
 
I was not referring to the price of scrap metal - just (my guess of) the rate that factory spare parts (if they are even available) are going up. The local supplier of used aircraft junk doesn't exactly have a premium office space location.

Or is our need for spares collapsing that rapidly? If so it says something about our industry's future.
 
GA is only a small part in the weak recovery of the economic times. I had a yacht broker tell me that 36 to 50' yachts are selling as good as pre 2008 sales and if I wanted the one I was looking at I should make a offer before someone else bought it. Years of special training, I can tell when a real estate or yacht broker or car sales person is lying to me, their mouth is moving.
 
brien23 said:
GA is only a small part in the weak recovery of the economic times. I had a yacht broker tell me that 36 to 50' yachts are selling as good as pre 2008 sales and if I wanted the one I was looking at I should make a offer before someone else bought it. Years of special training, I can tell when a real estate or yacht broker or car sales person is lying to me, their mouth is moving.
Click to expand...

Yes but this time it is different......;)
 
Aircraft parts (even ones that aren't salvage) are not going up at 10% a year. I don't understand where you are getting that figure from. No matter how undersirable the location for your parts inventory, it COSTS money. Believe me. I spent four years as a board member of the ANS (and still a shareholder) that maintains a parts inventory for the benefit of the members. Even our out in the middle of nowhere Colorado and in the California desert parts inventories cost us money to maintain. Wings and fuselage parts take up a lot of room and they aren't really in that much demand (once you get away from certain high wear or succeptible to damage parts like the flap hinges). In fact, the reason parts are expensive is that the quanties used are too small to merit manufacturing them in quantity and warehousing them until someone might want to use one.
 
AggieMike88 said:
The reduced spot prices for metals is hitting my business in the gonads too. Pre 2008 madness, I typically got $225-250 per ton for flattened cars. This last crush, I was quoted $115 per ton. This time last year, we were $65-70 per ton.
Click to expand...

All I know is that if you ever get one of these I'm going to come by and watch it...

https://i.imgur.com/1HPkgKA.gifv
 
Upper half (only) cowl for a 182 from Cessna was recently quoted to WI DNR for $38K. Hit a bald eagle.
 
True. But there are many options to find aircraft parts. I've had great luck with Wentworth and Atlanta Air Salvage. Most of their parts are listed on partsandplanes.com
 
GRG55 said:
the values have dropped so much and never really recovered since the financial crisis - one look at what a decent flying V-tail Bo goes for today, and hard to see how an even modestly damaged example can be economically repaired.
Click to expand...

Some models seem to have been hit harder than others. The A36 market is stronger today than anything I’ve ever seen. Same with the 172 market. I recently delivered a clean 1979 Archer that sold for 175K.
I’m guessing the V tails got hit hard because of the elevators? Magnesium is horrible, and unlike the A36 there’s no replacements at this time.
On the other hand, 172’s have gained incredible value because of the flight school demand and all the tornadoes/hurricanes that have totaled so many trainers. A well kept 172 has easily tripled its value over the past 15 years. I recently saw pretty clean Delta MD88 on Craigslist for 25K. Meanwhile an old 172 can bring over 125k! Supply and demand at it’s finest.
 
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