Thursday in Everett WA

Our home for the past week has been Everett WA, a burb north of Seattle. Everett has a population of 100,000+ . Its claim to fame is the Boeing factory. Today, Thursday, we took a tour of Boeing. No cameras, cell phones, note taking or bags of any sort, food or water was allowed on the tour. My photos are of before and after while driving by the factory.

"The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour offers the only opportunity to tour a commercial jet assembly plant in North America. See the future in the making."

The Future of Flight opened in 2005

one of the six "doors" of the factory

this is the world's largest building by volume

we saw 747s, 777s, and 787 Dreamliner jets

being assembled

the plant has six assembly areas

in one of the 'bays' six 777s were being assembled

each having 3 million parts, 1.5 million of them rivets

sections of the planes are produced all over the world

and assembled in Everett WA

parts & sections from France, UK, Japan, Canada

and various places in the states

paint buildings across the road and next to 

the 9000' runway, Paine Field, owned by the county 

and leased by Boeing

planes spend about 4 days in the paint booth

some of the special paint jobs, detail work is painted by hand

this plane costs $300+ million, 

engines & interior are extra

Boeing does not deliver the plane

a Seahawks plane

some the detailing is very unique

the planes are weighed before and after painting

painting can add up to 1000 pounds, depending the detailing

Boeing employs 42,000 at the Everett factory

they have their own day care, medical facility, credit union

7 restaurants, and work 3 shifts a day/5days a week

I am thinking these planes are ready for pick-up

the plant produces 1.25 747s a month

three 737s a month

one of the panels is partially opened

this is a painting of the 787 Dreamliner

it will be the lightest plane, using less fuel

and traveling the fastest because it is partially made of 

composite materials, reducing the weight of the plane

the 787 Dreamliner has a wider cabin,

LED lighting, larger windows, a better air system

reducing airplane spread germs & diseases,

and more humidity in the recycled air

65% less engine noise

for passengers...more comfort & less fatigue

I found this in one of the Boeing gift shops

they did not have a Gum Wall post card, darn

there is another Boeing plant in Renton WA

just east of Seattle

I had heard of Fred Meyer stores

and wanted to shop at one before leaving Seattle

a lot like a Walmart

picked up supplies for the rest of our journey

heading to Spokane on Saturday