Newsletter
ES
Sign in

Aviation glossary

Storage

Also: aircraft storage, stored aircraft, parked aircraft

Manufacturing and maintenance

The status of an aircraft that stops flying for a time and is parked under a preservation programme while its future is decided.

What it is

Airlines store aircraft for many reasons: a slump in demand, the quiet season, surplus capacity, waiting for a new lessee or for spare parts, or as a step towards retirement. Storage is not retirement, and many aircraft fly again months or years later.

The manufacturer's manual sets out how it should be done. Engines, intakes and pitot tubes are covered, openings are sealed and desiccant bags placed inside; at regular intervals the controls are exercised, the aircraft is moved so its tyres do not develop flat spots, and the engines are run or their systems checked. The longer the storage, the more work is needed to bring the aircraft back.

Short spells are usually spent on the apron of the home airport; longer ones at specialist sites with a dry climate.

On Vuelopedia

Vuelopedia shows storage as one of the possible aircraft statuses, and periods in storage on file appear among the aircraft's recorded events.

Related terms

Desert storageThe parking of out-of-service aircraft in arid regions, where low humidity slows corrosion and land and space come cheap. Return to serviceAn aircraft's return to operation after storage, repair or maintenance, once it has been confirmed as fit to fly. RetirementThe permanent removal of an aircraft, or of a whole type, from an operator's fleet, whether for sale, conversion, preservation or scrapping. ScrappingThe dismantling of a retired aircraft to recover its usable parts and recycle the rest of the structure for its materials.
Whole glossary

Cite

To cite this page in academic work, an article or Wikipedia, choose the style and copy the reference. The access date is today.

This page was last updated on October 9, 2026

APA

Vuelopedia. (2026, October 9). Storage. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage

MLA

“Storage.” Vuelopedia, Fundación Poderia, 9 Oct. 2026, vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Vuelopedia. “Storage.” Fundación Poderia. Last modified October 9, 2026. https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage.

Harvard

Vuelopedia (2026) Storage. Available at: https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{vuelopedia_en_glossary_storage,
  author       = {{Vuelopedia}},
  title        = {{Storage}},
  publisher    = {Fundación Poderia},
  year         = {2026},
  date         = {2026-10-09},
  url          = {https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage},
  howpublished = {\url{https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage}},
  urldate      = {2026-10-17},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-17}
}

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/storage |title=Storage |website=Vuelopedia |publisher=Fundación Poderia |date=2026-10-09 |access-date=2026-10-17 |language=en}}

Explore the encyclopedia

Homethe record of every aircraftAirlinesdocumented fleetsModelsfrom the Airbus A220 to the Boeing 747Compareup to three aircraft, side by sideManufacturerswho builds the aircraft, and their enginesIVCA Rankingair quality, from 0 to 100Newsthe latest from the recordsOn this dayaviation, day by dayVideosone aviation story a day, on videoAirportsthe world's leading onesAccidentswhat every accident changedTimelinethe whole century, 1903 to todayPeoplewho made all of this possibleOn Screenwhen the airliner was the plotTriviaa daily aviation challengeMemoriesa name in an aircraft's historyPresspress releases and Vuelopedia in the mediaYour profilesign in or create your accountAboutwhat Vuelopedia is and who makes it