Airlines Put Grounded Planes in Limbo

April 9, 2009
2009 may set a record for planes sitting idle on the ground.

VICTORVILLE, CA – With the U.S. economy in a tailspin, aircraft "boneyards" across the country are filling up with Boeing 747s and other jetliners no longer needed to ferry passengers. Industry experts say 2009 may set a record for planes sitting idle on the ground.

That has meant job security for Richard Robertson, an aircraft mechanic at the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, formerly George Air Force Base, now one of the nation's busiest boneyards.

Robertson has perfected the art of "pickling" airplanes – aviation jargon for disassembling parts and draining fluids from aircraft so they can be stored for a long time.

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