Airplane forest

The fascinating story of the old man in the plane

Could you imagine living in an old aeroplane in the middle of the forest? It's actually hard to imagine - and yet there is a man who does just that. Learn the incredible story of Bruce Campbell here.

Could you imagine living in an old aeroplane in the middle of the forest? It's actually hard to imagine - and yet there is a man who does just that. Learn the incredible story of Bruce Campbell here.

Airplane in the forest

If we really want to address the climate crisis and create new ways of living more sustainably, we need to challenge conventional thinking - in all areas of life. That is what Bruce Campbell has done. By converting a decommissioned aircraft into his home in Oregon (USA), Bruce has shown us a whole new perspective on recycling.

Have you ever thought about what happens to old aircraft that are no longer in use? They are mostly made of recyclable materials, but many of them are not fully or properly recycled and eventually end up in the trash. With a little imagination and willpower, the potential for recycling and reusing aircraft could be an amazing opportunity.

 

Some remarkable statistics about old aircraft:

  • The average life span of an aircraft is approx. 25-30 years
  • An average of 3 aircraft are taken out of service every day
  • Airlines often offer recyclable parts for sale
  • Storing a decommissioned aircraft costs about $60,000 per month
  • In the USA there are several scrap yards where old aircraft parts are recycled
  • It is estimated that around 12,000 aircraft will be decommissioned over the next 20 years
  • Between 80-95% of an aircraft can be recycled
  • Plastic panels and luggage racks inside aircraft are the most difficult to recycle
  • Every year, about 500 aircraft are dismantled, and by 2030 the number is expected to rise to around 2,000 per year
  • Recycling decommissioned aircraft costs about $80 million per year
  • Every year, the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association produces around 30,000 tonnes of aluminium, 1,800 tonnes of special alloys and 600 tonnes of other parts
  • The new challenge: More modern aircraft made from carbon fibre have better fuel efficiency, but so far there is no safe way to recycle aircraft made from this material
  • Because the cost of recycling aircraft is so high, some are simply left to rust and die without being recycled

 

How does the recycling process work?

The recycling process takes place at a special scrap yard, where the first step is to carefully remove all valuable components and hazardous materials, followed by an assessment of which parts can be resold. The aircraft is then dismantled into its individual parts, with the non-recyclable parts being pressed together and ending up in an aircraft graveyard.

Airplane recycling

Where is the potential of recycled aircraft?

Bruce not only planted a lot of trees around the property, but also found a way to build an aeroplane into his house. And while this may not be a practical choice for everyone, it begs the question, why can't we turn planes into all sorts of things? Restaurants, AirBnB's, children's playhouses, shops... why not? All it takes is some creative thinking and commitment. More sustainability is possible if we dare to try.

 

© This blog was researched, written and published by our partner organisation OneTreePlanted. The content has been adopted and translated by NIKIN. The blog may contain some deviations from the original. The original blog and further information can be found at www.onetreeplanted.org. We have been working with the renowned non-profit organisation since 2016 - so far we have been able to plant over 300,000 trees in various places around the world.

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