Boeing Factory Tour - Anyone done it?
- Thread starter tempdoug
- Start date
bob turner
Registered User
A very long time ago. They let me fly the 747 sim. The better visit was to their surplus store, where I got my trusty Cleco gun.
mvivion
FOUNDER
Bozeman,MT
There are a couple of plants. 737s are all built at a plant in Renton....I'd hold the "door jokes" if visiting there.... The other big plant produces the 777 and 787, (and till recently, the 747) at Paine Field. That's a fascinating tour, as you watch the big pieces of the Dreamliner being glued together........when asked if they were actually gluing them together, our tour guide noted that they refer to it as "bonding".
Anyway, good tour. While you're there, do NOT miss also going to the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, also at Paine Field: https://flyingheritage.org/ THAT is an amazing collection of historic aircraft and military vehicles, originally collected by Paul Allen of Microsoft fame. Be sure to give yourself enough time to devote to both of these, they're both excellent and well worth the time and effort.
MTV
Anyway, good tour. While you're there, do NOT miss also going to the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, also at Paine Field: https://flyingheritage.org/ THAT is an amazing collection of historic aircraft and military vehicles, originally collected by Paul Allen of Microsoft fame. Be sure to give yourself enough time to devote to both of these, they're both excellent and well worth the time and effort.
MTV
bob, is there surplus store on the field there?
rv6ator
MEMBER
Sherman, CT
I managed a VIP tour of the Everett wide body assembly line back in 1999. In the one end of the incredibly massive building they start assembly from scratch, by the time it reaches the other end it is a complete aircraft. Truly amazing!
I believe weekday tours are still available
I believe weekday tours are still available
skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
Did they tell you how many days it took to go from start to finish?
Charlie Longley
MEMBER
Anchorage, AK
One of my houses is 1 mile from the factory at Paine Field. My wife retired from Boeing last year. She started out as a tour guide and ended up as a lead where she wrote scripts and trained tour guides. I was invited on a VIP tour several years ago which was pretty cool! They no longer build 787's at the Paine Field factory just 777's and 767/KC-46. (I fly the 767.) At some point they'll build the 737 there. Right now, all you'll be able to see is the 777. The 767 is hidden because of the military build. The Flying Heritage collection is very good! The Boeing surplus store is no more. There's a pretty nice gift shop at the tour center. Personally, I would wait until they have the 737 build there.
Attachments
hotrod180
FRIEND
Port Townsend, WA
There's a number of aviation museums in the puget sound area, all worth visiting:
Heritage Flight Museum at Skagit airport KBVS
Home - Heritage Flight Museum
Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field KPAE
Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum | Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum
Museum of Flight at Boeing Field KBFI
Home | The Museum of Flight
and the MoF Restoration Center at Paine Field KPAE
Restoration Tours | Museum of Flight
Olympic Flight Museum at Olympia Airport KOLM
Olympic Flight Museum – Experience the Flight
My favorite- The Port Townsend Aero Museum at Jefferson County airport 0S9
Historic Aircraft Museum - Port Townsend Aero Museum (ptaeromuseum.com)
And a great vintage museum not far south-- the WAAAM at the Hood River OR airport 4S2
Home - Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (waaamuseum.org)
Heritage Flight Museum at Skagit airport KBVS
Home - Heritage Flight Museum
Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field KPAE
Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum | Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum
Museum of Flight at Boeing Field KBFI
Home | The Museum of Flight
and the MoF Restoration Center at Paine Field KPAE
Restoration Tours | Museum of Flight
Olympic Flight Museum at Olympia Airport KOLM
Olympic Flight Museum – Experience the Flight
My favorite- The Port Townsend Aero Museum at Jefferson County airport 0S9
Historic Aircraft Museum - Port Townsend Aero Museum (ptaeromuseum.com)
And a great vintage museum not far south-- the WAAAM at the Hood River OR airport 4S2
Home - Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (waaamuseum.org)
Willie
FRIEND
Kerrville, Texas
If you have time for it, one of the best restaurants in the area is in Tacoma on the water. The Cliff House. Hard to get to, but worth it.
https://cliffhousetacoma.com/contact-us
https://cliffhousetacoma.com/contact-us
Hardtailjohn
Registered User
Marion, MT
I got to go to Everett in 1995 with a friend that worked as a lead on the 747 not long before he retired. He took about half a dozen of us, and we packed a lunch. We were in there from about 9am through 4pm. We got to go all over the building and in the aircraft, including the absolute maze of underground tunnels. I sure wish we could've taken cameras, but we had strict orders not to.
JH
JH
I worked at the EDC for years on the 777 and 787, saw the tours coming in daily, have talked to a few non aviation people that have done it and they really enjoyed it. Pictures of the factory inside dont do it justice. Just be warned, all thats left in Everett is the 777 and 76 programs, the Whales(747) are done and Plastic Fantastic (787) in in SC now.
