Aircraft end-of-life

More than 9,700 aircraft are to be permanently retired or withdrawn from service over the next 20 years. Airbus is addressing the need to manage these aircraft in an environmentally responsible way.

Initially set up as the PAMELA project (Process for Advanced Management of End of Life Aircraft), the project has now been industrialised.

Airbus and its partners have established a dedicated centre at Tarbes airport in France, where aircraft are decommissioned, dismantled and recycled in safe and environmentally responsible conditions. The objective is to optimise recycling and valorisation of aircraft materials and reduce the quantity of waste to be eliminated.

TARMAC AEROSAVE is also a source of information and feedback for Airbus concerning aircraft ageing and changes in dismantling techniques. This data is fed back to engineers working at the start of the aircraft lifecycle, helping them to improve the design of both existing and future aircraft programmes.

Airbus believes an integrated approach throughout the full lifecycle up to the end-of-life is the best way to understand and control aircraft environmental impacts.