3 ms·

One of the somewhat shocking things to see when you taxi into or out of a Russian airport are the partially-dismantled airframes sitting in the grass along the

One of the somewhat shocking things to see when you taxi into or out of a Russian airport are the partially-dismantled airframes sitting in the grass along the asphalt. So you will see a 2-seat trainer with two engines, missing one of the engines with the other covered properly with a tarp; larger aircraft like An-4s or what have you, missing a wing or the tail section. The plane is moving along relatively slowly, so you have plenty of time to have a good look... You start to wonder "is one of those parts on the plane I am on now?" -- I have never been so happy to be on a Southwest-clone-looking, Boeing 737, as when I flew out of Moscow.

leereeves 4y ago
It's weird that they put the salvage yard right in the airport where passengers can see it, but similar aircraft salvage yards exist all over the world.
simonblack 4y ago
I have never been so happy to be on a Southwest-clone-looking, Boeing 737, as when I flew out of Moscow The 737 has had a very checkered history. For a while there, they had several planes falling out of the sky due to a software overflow problem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_rudder_issues#:~:text=During%20the%201990s%2C%20a%20series,board%2C%20157%20people%20in%20total https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_rudder_issues#:~:te.... And then of course there was the 737 MAX8 scandal about 3 years ago with two more crashes. Every time I find I am flying in a 737 I cross my fingers that I won't be in one of the unlucky ones.
ogurechny 4y ago
Number of Russian/Soviet planes on Russian commercial flights has been close to zero for quite a long time because of exploitation costs, lack of large scale production in post-Soviet times, tightened international standards, etc. It was easier to make money by leasing foreign planes, so civil aviation industry went poof. It is unlikely that parts of old Soviet planes could used in Boeings and Airbuses.

leereeves 4y ago

It's weird that they put the salvage yard right in the airport where passengers can see it, but similar aircraft salvage yards exist all over the world.

simonblack 4y ago

I have never been so happy to be on a Southwest-clone-looking, Boeing 737, as when I flew out of Moscow The 737 has had a very checkered history. For a while there, they had several planes falling out of the sky due to a software overflow problem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_rudder_issues#:~:text=During%20the%201990s%2C%20a%20series,board%2C%20157%20people%20in%20total https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_rudder_issues#:~:te.... And then of course there was the 737 MAX8 scandal about 3 years ago with two more crashes. Every time I find I am flying in a 737 I cross my fingers that I won't be in one of the unlucky ones.

ogurechny 4y ago

Number of Russian/Soviet planes on Russian commercial flights has been close to zero for quite a long time because of exploitation costs, lack of large scale production in post-Soviet times, tightened international standards, etc. It was easier to make money by leasing foreign planes, so civil aviation industry went poof. It is unlikely that parts of old Soviet planes could used in Boeings and Airbuses.