Discussion summary

Many US airplane boneyards are not fully open to the public, but some are visible from public areas or offer tours. Visiting conditions vary, with some sites behind fences and others accessible through museums or tours.

What the discussion says

  • Public access to boneyards is limited; some are visible from afar.
  • Many aviation museums allow inside access and tours.
  • Visitors should contact sites beforehand to confirm access.
  • Outdoor conditions can be harsh, especially in summer.
  • Some sites are fully fenced and restricted to staff or authorized personnel.
Many airplane boneyards are limited access sites and do not provide tours.
hyperific
Most of the bigger aerospace museums have several planes and helicopters with access.
spking

Comments

Hacker News

“Aircraft”, technically speaking. All airplanes are aircraft, but not all aircraft are airplanes. The page this links to correctly refers to the term: List and Map of Active and Post-WWII Aircraft Boneyards and Storage Facilities.

by throw1234567891

Question for the locals: I don’t live in the USA, but I’d love to visit the boneyards someday and get inside some planes to take pictures. Are the boneyards open to the public? Do you need permission?

by meerita

Not quite "open to the public," but very visible from public areas and close enough for you to get a good luck. Also, some offer tours or have attached museums.

It used to be that the Davis Monthan AFB offered tours, but sadly, those have ended for security reasons.

by ivraatiems

According to the site, many airplane boneyards are limited access sites and do not provide tours. You can always call or email them and ask though.

by hyperific

There are lots of great aviation museums in the USA, highly recommend visiting them. Many allow various degrees of access inside the aircraft, even more so if you chat up the museum staff. I don't imagine the boneyards will.

by ak217

I used to work at an airport listed in this reference actually. Their boneyard was fully behind the fence and no public access would be granted. Even as staff we never went there because you've got massive aging equipment.

It would be an untenable liability to be having around them especially the public. Some of the chassis were there for years.

by brianjlogan

Depends. Taking pictures in front of or around the planes is no problem, but majority are pretty much sealed off. That said, most of the bigger aerospace museums have several planes and helicopters with cockpit and cabin access.

by spking

If you’re ever in the Tucson area, highly recommend Pima Air Museum.

Would not recommend visiting between May-September as it feels as if you’re walking around in an outdoor blast furnace.

https://pimaair.org/

by spking

I’ve been there, it’s a great museum. There’s an SR-71 there for one thing.

by chasd00

That's pretty much all of Arizona from late April through October.

by jambalaya8

Join the discussion

Write your take first — we'll ask for email only when you're ready to publish.

  • Hacker News
  • “Aircraft”, technically speaking. All airplanes are aircraft, but not all aircraft are airplanes. The page this links to correctly refers to the term: List and Map of Active and Post-WWII Aircraft Boneyards and Storage Facilities.
    by throw1234567891
  • Question for the locals: I don’t live in the USA, but I’d love to visit the boneyards someday and get inside some planes to take pictures. Are the boneyards open to the public? Do you need permission?
    by meerita
  • Not quite "open to the public," but very visible from public areas and close enough for you to get a good luck. Also, some offer tours or have attached museums.

    It used to be that the Davis Monthan AFB offered tours, but sadly, those have ended for security reasons.

    by ivraatiems
  • According to the site, many airplane boneyards are limited access sites and do not provide tours. You can always call or email them and ask though.
    by hyperific
  • There are lots of great aviation museums in the USA, highly recommend visiting them. Many allow various degrees of access inside the aircraft, even more so if you chat up the museum staff. I don't imagine the boneyards will.
    by ak217
  • I used to work at an airport listed in this reference actually. Their boneyard was fully behind the fence and no public access would be granted. Even as staff we never went there because you've got massive aging equipment.

    It would be an untenable liability to be having around them especially the public. Some of the chassis were there for years.

    by brianjlogan
  • Also if you’re talking specifically about the planes in the boneyards, would not recommend doing that in the desert. You will find some other “visitors” like rattlesnakes, scorpions etc. that have made the plane their habitat.

    https://www.holloman.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/31...

    by spking
  • Depends. Taking pictures in front of or around the planes is no problem, but majority are pretty much sealed off. That said, most of the bigger aerospace museums have several planes and helicopters with cockpit and cabin access.
    by spking
  • You may also enjoy Cockpit Casual from Nomadic Aviation Group. Their amazing COVID-era videos often ended at these storage airports.

    https://www.youtube.com/@CockpitCasual

    by jasoncartwright
  • If you’re ever in the Tucson area, highly recommend Pima Air Museum.

    Would not recommend visiting between May-September as it feels as if you’re walking around in an outdoor blast furnace.

    https://pimaair.org/

    by spking
  • I’ve been there, it’s a great museum. There’s an SR-71 there for one thing.
    by chasd00
  • That's pretty much all of Arizona from late April through October.
    by jambalaya8

Related stories