What Remains of the Aviation Industry

Exploring One of the Boneyards of the United States

Gage Altrock Correspondent

Over Christmas break, I got up close with some decommissioned airplanes at an aircraft boneyard in Oscoda, Michigan. A former B-52 Air Force base decommissioned in 1993, Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport is now a major facility for Kalitta Air Cargo. Serving as the largest operator of the airport, Kalitta has taken full advantage of the 15,000-foot runway by flying in heavy aircraft from around the world to be converted into cargo aircraft or sold off as scrap. Because of this, the queue of aircraft waiting for their fate makes for a unique sight. After flying in by plane, we locked the aircraft, grabbed our gear, and walked the mile journey from the FBO to the boneyard.

Looking around, you’ll find all kinds of aircraft from many different operators. While some didn’t fly far to get here, others have flown across the globe to their final resting place. One plane, VH-OEJ, better known as the last Qantas 747, is one of the many aircraft being converted into freighters. After its retirement in 2015, the aircraft was flown to the Mojave Desert for what was thought to be its final resting place. However, in June of 2022, it departed the desert bound for Michigan. It will now begin the process of reviving the airplane for its next life as a cargo aircraft.

It was amazing to see these giants in person instead of behind the glass of a terminal or magazine pages. Though unfortunately, the queen of the sky is being phased out of passenger service, it’s exciting to see it repurposed into cargo aircraft.