I'm not too very sure I'd want to be flying in one of these

[Goshute]

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-new ... 120c8.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...between the deer mice spreading Hantavirus and Pack rats collecting nice shiny bits of wiring.

[Bowlie]

Yes, but the (very) dry air means (very) little corrosion. The deer mice and pack-rats can be kept out quite easily!

[garbsmj]

Yes but there are still scorpions and gila monsters to worry about. Plus, far as I can tell, mice live everywhere. Especially cool dark places.

[Goshute]

The deer mice and pack-rats can be kept out quite easily!

Are you sure? Rodents can get into amazingly small places.

[Bowlie]

Well, have a look at this one: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled ... 0056255/M/ Well sealed against little monsters. Although an aircraft might be surplus to current needs that doesn't mean that they don't retain a value. This aircraft, for example, stayed in the desert for a few years before being sold and converted to a freighter. That wouldn't have happened if the mice and rats could get in.

[Goshute]

Looks like plastic shrink wrap. Great for keeping dust out (and there's plenty of dust in the desert), not so sure about rodents.

[DaveA]

A few years back, before retirement, one of the projects I was on for a short while was the design team on bring one these birds back to life.

We had a team that did a very complete inspection of the bird. Based on the reports, the team decided what repairs and replacements that needed to be done to get it flyable to a refurb shop. Once there, a more complete inspection and then more repairs were done. Some areas ALL of the wiring, control cables and hydraulics were completely replaced.

Now the design team step in with more changes and improvements, this included the new customers requests. Once this was all done, these plane were as safe if not more safe than the current off the line birds.

[Goshute]

Thanks Dave. Promise me they also use a giant rodent vacuum, and I'm cleared for takeoff.

[DaveA]

Remember that after the first flight above 30,000 feet all rodents in the non pressurized areas, one will not need to worry about them, but the smell later may be a problem.