General Demolition was engaged by GJD Services, a specialist aircraft decommissioning and asset recovery company, to assist in the demolition and scrapping of a Boeing 747-236B ‘Jumbo Jet’ airliner for European Aviation Air Charter (EAAC) at Bournemouth International Airport in Dorset.

The aircraft, G-BDXG, which has a length of 71 metres and a height of 19 metres, was located on EAAC’s ramp at Aviation Park West and was retired in 2004 following 26 years of service. Since then, the Rolls-Royce RB211 engines and wings have been removed and the internals of the plane stripped out.

A 40 tonne Doosan DX420LC hydraulic excavator was used to demolish the main body and tail sections of the plane. Work commenced following the removal of the airline’s cockpit and tail and the salvage of the wheel assemblies.

Built in 1977, the aircraft’s history spans 30 years following delivery to British Airways in June 1978. In the late 1990s, its tail displayed the Swedish ‘Blomsterang’ artwork, one of BA’s controversial world art tail fins introduced in 1997. G-BDXG was sold to EAAC in February 2002 and was leased to Saudi Arabian Airlines in January 2003 before returning to EAAC in May 2003.

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