Print
Process for advanced management of end-of-life aircraft : PAMELA project
The European Union’s process for advanced management of end-of-life aircraft (PAMELA) project was an innovative program that aimed at demonstrating the viability of commercial aircraft recycling. Constellium’s Global Aerospace, Transportation and Industry business unit was among the collaborating industrial partners.
Successfully recycling end-of-life aircraft
By 2025, more than 6,000 of today’s large commercial aircraft will no longer be in service. Whereas redundant aircraft used to be moved to remote airfields, this three-year European Union project set up in Tarbes (France) in 2005 demonstrated that a large part of an aircraft’s aluminium structure could be recycled.
As a committed partner in the PAMELA project, Constellium helped successfully recycle the aluminium parts of a 35-year-old twin-aisle Airbus A300 aircraft, which was 77% aluminium by weight. The A300 wings and cockpit parts were recycled at Constellium Issoire plant with a recovery yield of over 90%, resulting in new aluminium ready for use in future aircraft.
Lessons learned for end-of-life aircraft dismantling
When the project finished, the participants established the TARMAC AEROSAVE company, which draws on the lessons learned from PAMELA to undertake commercial dismantling of end-of-life aircraft.
Constellium is also a long-term participant in the working group set up by the International Air Transport Association to work for a broader aircraft recycling program.
Key-fact
By the year 2025, more than 6,000 of today’s large commercial aircraft will no longer be in service.
