Get to know the incredible and huge Boeing factory

If you are afraid of flying, you have probably wondered at some point inside the plane, "How can such a thing stay in the air?"

Well, when it comes to Boeing models, what's behind their aircraft's success is that there's a gigantic macrostructure for them to produce, plus all the other factors like constant research and updating, top-notch employees, and, it's Of course, a lot of technology.

But the factory itself is impressive and has open visitors for those who want to check the size of the place and its production. Boeing's factory is in Everett, near Seattle, Washington.

The building is so huge that it is even larger than California's Disneyland Park, with a total area of ​​415 hectares (or 13, 385, 378 cubic meters - as they often describe its volume).

This is where Boeing's large aircraft are built: 747, 767, 777 and the latest 787 Dreamliners. That's why the factory building is so colossal; to be able to house all these giants, from the beginning of assembly to the completion of the aircraft.

All on a grand scale

In such a large factory, obviously the number of employees to get everything rolling is also high respectively. There are about 41, 000 people working on site, and the working hours are divided into three shifts. Even so, their departure times are staggered to avoid traffic chaos on the roads surrounding the factory.

To keep the factory and its workers, of course, running smoothly, the place is basically a self-contained minicity.

It has its own highway, its own train station, fire brigade, security forces, water treatment plant, bank, medical center, child-care center, five stands of a coffee network called Tully's Coffee. another 19 cafeterias and restaurants serving about 17, 000 meals a day.

And like a huge aircraft factory, the place also has huge doors for every new aircraft to come out when it's ready. Each door is about the size of a football field. Now you might think, "With a building this size, spending on air conditioning in summer and heating in winter must be of Homeric proportions!" But it is not!

The region of Everett is, fortunately, with a very temperate climate. So when it gets hot in summer, opening the huge factory doors is cool enough. Already in winter, enough heat is provided by tens of thousands of people working with powerful tools (and the thousands of ceiling lights) to keep the place comfortable.

Despite all this, Boeing had to install an air circulation system to prevent clouds from forming on the roof.

Aircraft assembly

Most of the work done at Everett's colossal unit is assembling the aircraft, meaning that teams receive parts of completed parts from other factories to assemble them.

For this, the smaller parts arrive by truck and train, while the larger parts (such as Dreamliner whole wings) come straight from Italy and Japan aboard modified 747 cargo planes called Dreamlifters. Boeing has four of these aircraft flying continuously around the world, transporting parts to Everett.

In addition to this, the factory even has its own port, through which some large pieces also arrive. As soon as the parts land at the factory, they are taken to one of the huge assembly docks.

Each aircraft type has its own part of the factory and is assembled differently. The 777, for example, is built on an assembly line that continually moves at a speed of about five centimeters per minute.

Interestingly, this process begins well before the aircraft has its wheels installed, so that the parts are carried in gigantic rolling structures while engineers work with them. Computer stations are at specific points in this passage to make sure nothing is left behind.

The completion of the entire assembly process ends with the painting. Each plane receives the colors of the airline to which it is intended. Within this factor, there is a curiosity you may not know: most companies use predominantly silver or white color schemes because these are the colors that weigh the least.

That way, not adding more intense colors can save you hundreds of pounds, which in turn saves a small but significant amount of fuel over the life of the aircraft.

Visits

If you're an airplane fanatic, Boeing offers a one-and-a-half hour special Everett factory tour - the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour. Visitors are guided through tunnels under the site floor and to observation platforms near the ceiling to give them a spectacular view of the aircraft being mounted.

The factory is only half an hour from Seattle and is open for visitors every day of the week throughout the year, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Babies and children under 1.22 meters in length cannot participate in the tour. Therefore, there is a care center for parents to leave them during visitation.

Photos and footage are not allowed for visitors and not even for the press, but the visit is worth the visit anyway, giving an incredible glimpse into air travel.

* * *

This article was suggested by reader Michell Araújo. We hope you enjoyed!