Airport officials want to hide UAM operations

TUPELO — Tupelo airport officials say they will plant trees and shrubs to block the view of large jets being disassembled by an aircraft recycling company that recently opened operations in Mississippi.

Airport executive director Josh Abramson said a berm also will be built with trees and shrubs planted on top to help obstruct the public’s view of work being done by Universal Asset Management, the Memphis-based company that just started disassembly a large aircraft in Tupelo.

Yesterday, UAM started removing the engines of a retired Japan Airlines Boeing 747. Big planes like that are too tall to be hidden from view, but officials want to hide the ground operations.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported that the $50,000 cost will be split equally between the county and city.

The goal is to help cover the view of UAM’s operations from West Jackson and Air Park roads.

UAM will fly in 747s and other decommissioned wide-bodied aircraft to Tupelo Regional and take them apart at the soon-to-be-vacated Army Air National Guard facility. The parts then will be recycled.

Source: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal