Phoenix-Goodyear Airport (GYR, KGYR)

Rob Silliman · June 18, 2009, 01:21:14 PM

Phoenix-Goodyear is notable for the 20-30 commercial airplanes that are parked/stored on the west side of the airport.

Some are sealed for potential future use, and some are in the process of being scavenged for parts.

Joe Copalman · June 18, 2009, 02:04:14 PM

Awesome Rob. Was hoping someone would get a Goodyear thread going.

Matt Ottosen · June 18, 2009, 04:10:47 PM

I've been chatting with the Airport Manager (Barney Helmick) today, via email. I was trying to get us access to the storage area, but it's private property and they don't allow tours anymore. So, I asked him about ladders along the fence line, and here's his reply:

QuoteI would not use a ladder, that will draw the attention of our staff and or
local police. Not that it is a good spot, but photography is allowed along
the fence adjacent to the Terminal building on the east side of the
runway. The area next to the fence along the storage field is private
property and the owners do not like people there. Guess we are no longer
very friendly to Bird lovers. Sorry about that. If in the area I would
recommend you stop in our Terminal building and view our artwork. We have
a display of photos from the Navy days and our history in the lobby.

Barney Helmick A.A.E.
Phoenix Goodyear Airport Manager
2008 Airport of the Year!

Joe Copalman · June 18, 2009, 04:22:40 PM

Hmm. Awesome that you tried.

Maybe contact the owners?

Matt Ottosen · June 18, 2009, 04:41:45 PM

Quote from: Joe Copalman on June 18, 2009, 04:22:40 PM
Hmm. Awesome that you tried.

Maybe contact the owners?

Just got this from Barney, I questioned his ladder comment:

QuoteWe do not get much transient military on a regular basis. The issue is not
with our PD, but with the AeroTurbine the tenant we lease the storage
field to. They have had an incident in the past of an aircraft being
photographed and put on the web that upset the aircraft owner. Since then
they have become extremely sensitive to photos taken on the field.

Here's AeroTurbine's site:

http://www.aeroturbine.com/

Rob Silliman · June 18, 2009, 05:12:20 PM

The comment about shooting from the East side near the terminal building is crap. They have old fuel tanker trucks lined up nose to tail blocking the majority of the view of the tarmac and runways.

Even if those weren't there - you would have to use a 100-500 to have any chance to taking anything decent.

Rob Silliman · June 18, 2009, 05:13:24 PM

Quote from: Matt Ottosen on June 18, 2009, 04:41:45 PM

Just got this from Barney, I questioned his ladder comment:

QuoteWe do not get much transient military on a regular basis. The issue is not
with our PD, but with the AeroTurbine the tenant we lease the storage
field to. They have had an incident in the past of an aircraft being
photographed and put on the web that upset the aircraft owner. Since then
they have become extremely sensitive to photos taken on the field.

Here's AeroTurbine's site:

http://www.aeroturbine.com/

Maybe check w/ them (Aeroturbine) and see if they would give permission (and tell us which planes they don't want posted).

Matt Ottosen · June 18, 2009, 05:15:34 PM

Quote from: robtheorg on June 18, 2009, 05:13:24 PM
Maybe check w/ them (Aeroturbine) and see if they would give permission (and tell us which planes they don't want posted).

I've already asked!

Matt Ottosen · June 19, 2009, 12:44:12 PM

Here's Barney Helmick's reply:

QuoteWe rarely get what would be considered a aircraft that is sensitive in nature, but what happens is the owners of the aircraft do not want anyone to know that their airplane is in storage for business reasons.

Rob Silliman · June 19, 2009, 02:27:09 PM

Then they should just completely repaint the plane and change the registration

Obviously it wasn't United or Continental that was upset. No way not to know who those planes belong to.

Rob Silliman · June 24, 2009, 12:55:26 PM

On the NationalGeographic channel there is a series called 'Man Made' and this week's episode is about breaking down/recycling an old Boeing 747, by none other than AeroTurbine at Goodyear.

Aero's goal - break the plane down in 12 weeks.

Joe Copalman · June 24, 2009, 01:18:57 PM

Looks like the National Geographic folks didn't get the "no photography" memo.

redsox223 · July 01, 2009, 06:09:55 AM

Thanks for looking into this Matt. I have only been there once and just barely went down the dirt road along the fence (for fear of my car hitting a rock and having to pay for it). I mean the reason for posting pictures on the web is stupid, but at least GYR isnt too far from a road like the airpark in Marana.

Rob Silliman · July 01, 2009, 07:01:40 AM

Quote from: Joe Copalman on June 24, 2009, 01:18:57 PM
Looks like the National Geographic folks didn't get the "no photography" memo.

But did you notice that it looked like AeroTurbine put a dummy reg number on the 747 that they took apart?

It wasn't the same 747 that they showed landing - the one landing was this ex-Corsair 747 (which was still on the field earlier this month.

Matt Ottosen · August 17, 2009, 07:34:21 PM

I went to take a look at some of the stored aircraft out at Goodyear on Saturday. Walked right along the fence and wasn't bothered by anybody. AeroTurbine employees were out there moving aircraft around, and they either didn't see the only two people in a huge dirt lot walking along their fence with cameras or they didn't care we were there.

United Airlines Boeing 747-422
Corsair Boeing 747-312
VARIG Boeing 767-383/ER

News:

Phoenix-Goodyear Airport (GYR, KGYR)

redsox223