June 2, 2008 - Airbus has found a way to dispose of outdated aircraft that's both better for the environment and helps the company make a little money on the side, Business Aviation reports.

There are no current rules for disposing of retired airliners, aside from the axiom that "What shall not fly again shall be destroyed."

Most aviation experts say that only about 60% of the dry weight of an aircraft can be recycled, but Airbus, aware that about 1,200 of its aging aircraft will be grounded over the next 20 years, has developed a method for recycling as much as 85%.

Under a program called Pamela (an acronym for Process for Advanced Management of End-of-Life Aircraft), Airbus began looking for ways to recycle more, chiefly by scavenging for reusable materials such as aluminum and copper.

"We proved that recycled aircraft aluminum can be used in airframe construction, whereas previously it was seen as suitable only for non-aviation industries," says project manager Olivier Malavallon. (Recycling aluminum consumes 90% less energy than producing new aluminum, according to Malavallon.)

Airbus is currently working on setting up new dismantling businesses that will enable it to expand operations for reintroducing recovered materials into the supply chain. The more salvaged materials that can be resold, the higher the profit potential for Airbus, according to Malavallon.