Fascinating place! Thanks for this fantastic glimpse into aviation at rest. 1,000’s of hours of Engineering blood sweat and tears go into each craft. It’s amazing what ingenuity can create and economics can quiet. Your music is powerful. Thank u for sharing this part of the world w us!
Qantas had 3 787-9 stored at VCV. The airline never took delivery of them due to Covid, they’ve since moved to Boeing at Everett for fuselage mods, prior to delivery to Qantas early 2023. 2 A380’s (VH-OQE and VH-OQF) have been retired and salvaged for spare parts to support the remaining Qantas A380 fleet and the last A380 at VCV is due to leave VCV this month, if it already hasn’t left for return to active service.
I’m a mech @ AAL and seeing the Fed Ex MD11’s brings back memories. We took delivery of 25 of them and the rest deferred to Fed Ex cause they weren’t getting the promised fuel burn I was told. I’m floored there parked cause I see older A300’s etc flying in out Tulsa. MD11 had winglets before they were a thing. Awesome video
VCV is also an active maintenance facility for the airlines. They also have a paint shop to repaint aircraft or whenever an aircraft is sold and needs to get rebranded. I live in Apple Valley, part of the “High Desert” for 30 yrs and retired USAF (21yrs). Miss George AFB!!
I was a contractor for Boeing AOG up until November of last year, I have since retired. I have been to VCV numerous times. We moved the Juneyao 787, N5029U after it's initial flight certification started. Once completed, it left Boeing in Everett and headed to VCV, and never left. Boeing AOG has a center in VCV, and we did repairs and storage for the avionics from aircraft that had been mothballed. VCV is a popular place Boeing moves aircraft to that carriers for a multitude of reasons never take delivery of. These are machines not just aircraft. They have a soul. It's still sad to see this.
That’s incredible to hear your story! Very much appreciate it. Aviation is a passion of mine and I’m so glad to have someone else who loves it so much. Thanks for keeping our planes safe.
Would love for them to turn this into an aviation experience where people could go in and just be guided around and shown the different planes that once flew in the sky. Would obviously need to be safe out there too
My father was stationed there from 85-91 back when it was George Air Force Base. Makes sense they would store planes there. Victorville is part of what's called the 'high desert', it's high in elevation and surrounded in all directions by mountains meaning little to no moisture is in that area. In the six years we lived there it maybe rained 3 times. Perfect place to house planes.
Brilliant video and music ,a look back at sad times with all these beutifull planes parked for years in some cases and permanently in others, i think the worst result of covid pandemic was the loss of the 747,s and even some 380,s. I wonder how many are still imprisoned there now in late 2023 ? Its almost like looking at caged birds in a pet shop viewing this video,I just want to let them free.
How can an aircraft too young, too new such a A380 be in the place ? It's just unbelievable !! What about all study, engineering, development, time, money, costs, preparation, tests, projects, everything to produce and assemble this aircraft ? And now we see all of this ending up at Victorville Airplane Graveyard ?? Could somebody please tell me what went wrong ? I just can't understand it !! Greetings from Jundiaí-Brazil.
Hello Mauricio, welcome to XLRS! I also express frustrations regarding the situations. It does not make sense is most situations, however, all A380 Qantas aircraft will get back to service in the near future.
Since this video was made during Covid - my guess is temporary storage due to the pandemic. I looked up one of the #'s for a Qantas 380 in the video - it's back in service doing daily flights.
All of the Qantas A380’s in this video have left VCV to re-enter commercial operations, except for VH-OQE and VH-OQF which have been retired and salvaged for spare parts to support the remaining Qantas A380 fleet.
Ffs people, have you forgotten that during covid thousands of aircraft were laid up. I really despair that people only have five minute memories. It’s really depressing.
Hi everyone. I’m really surprised they don’t do tours. The country is built on enterprise and making money. A four hour tour in a 14 seat air conditioned minibus with a few breaks. If I’m paying all that money to go out there from the U.K., I’d be more than happy to pay £50 for the privilege. Thank you for the film.
Thank you for watching. We take it there may have been tours years ago, but have since ceased operation due to COVID. We did ask for one and receive a hard “no”.
@@janindekeu107 Hi there. I have visited this part of the world many many times in the 80’s and 90’s. Great circuit to do, LA, San Diego, Yuma, Tucson, Phoenix, Vegas. I’m afraid I got fed with constantly being asked ‘what am I doing’? I was once given the ok by the local authorities and the tower to sit on a grass mound at Pittsburgh but was asked to leave after an hour as passengers on a US Air plane saw me pointing a gun at their plane🙄 It was of course a camera. Just had enough after that. Took the car back to the rental office, got a plane to Charlotte and flew back to the U.K. 1999 that was, never been since. Good luck on your travels.
I agree. 2 of Qantas’s A380, however, are in the process of scrapping. Also, any DC-10s there are out for good, however the deltas on the main runway should be back soon. Not to mention the A350s and MAXs that are scheduled to be delivered in the next 36 months.
Das macht mich unendlich traurig ich als Leidenschaftliche Planespotterin die Flugzeuge etc liebt echt schlimm sowas zu sehen die schönen Maschinen die schönen Cargos könnte heulen 😖🤧😭
Luckily, the A359s and 788 and 789s are awaiting arrival to their airlines. Unfortunately, most of the 777s here, mainly the 772s are here to stay. Also unfortunately, most of the 76s, 75s, 72s have been scrapped upon arrival. However, most MD-11s, DC-10s and 747s have survived and only have partial scrapping.
Most that we got close to will. With the exception of any FedEx (722, DC-10) and some other A310s and A340s, all aircraft (73M, ANZ 77W, and A388 except for 2) will be back or are already back in service.
Lovely footage!! I knew that the tail fins of large planes are high, but to be able to see so much from that height made me realise how high it actually is!!
I’ve looked on Google Earth and tried to find the best places to photograph without crossing unauthorized property. Is there a particular spot that was best?
All of these spots were outside of fences and boundaries and the last spot with the A380s is accessible via a backroad and 2 dirt roads. If you have a drone or a small lens, that can fit through the fence, you should be able to get great shots!
I wonder if I can buy just the nose section of say an old 737 or dc9 with all instruments still in it and put it on a flatbed and shipped to my place for a man cave and what would it cost what a party room
That. Sounds good! The late Clint Groves ATP (Air Transport Photography) had the Bulkhead and a Cosmetic 7panel of windows from a 727-,200 He also had a Waterbed in it!
Hi Peter! Yes, we would be happy to provide you with a clean copy of that footage. Do you have a more direct way we can contact you? I can message you through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. How’s that sound?
Those are interesting questions: (1) Most of these planes, since we filmed it in June 2021, we’re parked due to Covid flight restrictions (QF 388, Air Canada, Air New Zealand). The 737 Maxs were parked following the 2 fatal accidents in 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, many of the Maxs are still there. Other aircraft included the 787 Dreamliner that was parked their due to delays in orders from the pandemic. (2) In terms of fuel oils and hydronic fluids, all are draining when the aircraft reach the graveyard so that sediment does not build up and that fuel is used for other aircraft flying. (3) The other reason why aircraft (340, MD11, DC10, 747) at VCV were unfortunately retired either due to their age, fuel efficiency, or due to covid. BA, UA, and other airlines turned away from quad and trijets during the pandemic as 787s, A350s and other twin jets we’re ordered and delivered.
All except for the 2 closest to the NZ All Blacks 77W. Those two were unfortunately scrapped at VCV. Registrations were VH-OQE, Delivered December 2009, and VH-OQF, Delivered Jan 2010.
@@XLRSAv Tragic when the big birds die. Demand is massively back in Australia, despite Qantas charging way too much for travel. Nothing is better than a 380 as a ride experience, spent plenty of time in these and the old 747's in business class mainly between Australia and the US and partly Europe. On a 380 to Europe for holidays this time in July. Back in an Emirates 380...
@@XLRSAv Yeah I would love to see those! I haven't been to pinal airpark yet but been to and inside Davis Monthan but not to the bone yard but been to the outside of it I'll have a video out today of it maybe. Are you going inside of the bone yard and if how or the tour with pima air and space museum if they are still giving those.
Hey ive found a plane I've been on @!@! On the 11th of May 2015 I went from Brisbane to Los Angeles on the Virgin Australia "caves Beach" shown at 0:49 I have a photo of it before we boarded in Brisbane.
I wish we could, but after emailing back with the head of OPS there, we were denied access for a tour. The views from the locations we found proved to be pretty good, but we hope to get closer footage when we return soon.
During this time, Boeing had a hold on 787 deliveries (specifically the -8 and -10 series), so many were parked here during 2020-2021 before deliveries.
Unfortunately not. Only one Qantas A388 has come back to service from there. It can be seen here departing and arriving at LAX on 1/16/22: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zi5SRKH8gnE.html
Hi! Thank you for the feedback. We recently purchased a license to get access to better music online and are sorry you didn’t enjoy the music choice in this vid. Best, XLRS