Globally, around 200 commercial airplanes are grounded each year and most end up in scrap-metal graveyards or simply abandoned to rust next to airplane landing strips.
Old airplanes are inexpensive to own since the cost of disassembling a plane is greater than the value of the parts. So some creative minds are now turning airplanes into useful structures.
Here's an interesting virtual picture tour of retired airplanes that have been turned into shelter houses, strech limousines and even a library. You may skip the first few pictures as that Jumbo library idea never really took off.
Source: Popular Science: Hot Wings
