Circular Economy & Sustainable Aircraft Decommissioning

Aviation generates thousands of retired airframes annually. Traditional decommissioning harvests high-value parts, but most composite and aluminum structure goes to landfill. Circular economy initiatives aim to recycle composites (pyrolysis, solvolysis), remanufacture components, and design-for-disassembly in new aircraft. Economic viability depends on material commodity prices, reverse logistics, and certification pathways for reused parts.