Date of Defense

4-28-2012

Date of Graduation

4-28-2012

Department

Aviation

First Advisor

Gilbert Sinclair

Second Advisor

Tracey Moon, Center for Academic Success Programs

Keywords

Aircraft recycling, maximization of resources

Abstract

The United States currently has within just 6 airfields approximately 4,600 grounded aircraft. Out of these excess aircraft, approximately 66,900 metric tons of secondary aluminum could be extracted. All this amount of material equals to approximately 147 million US dollars if sold to the current aluminum market price; the United States government could save up to 450 million US dollars just in electrical power expenses by choosing to recycle these aircraft, instead of producing primary aluminum out of bauxite. Recycling all these aircraft, would also have a positive impact in the environment, since hundreds of acres would be freed from all that metal, cleaning the landscape and reducing landfills; and by processing all that material instead of processing primary aluminum, the gases emissions would be fewer as well. If all of this currently available material is taken in consideration for a future national recycling project, the national economy would go through a positive impact, by the creation of new jobs in a very dynamic industry.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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