The ultimate aircraft assembly plant of the world

Boeing's Everett aerospace production facility, located in the state of Washington and built in 1966 with flagship aircraft 747 in mind, is a mind boggling vast industrial complex -- a city within itself. This is where the world's largest aerospace manufacturer builds 747s, 767s, 777s 787s and the new 777X. The factory is basically a city with a volume of 13.3 million cubic metres occupying a footprint of 39.8 hectres. And that is just the main six- production hall complex. Outside there are three huge paint hangars and sprawling flight lines where the planes are readied for delivery.

This facility is the biggest building in the world by volume, workplace for 30,000, produces 18,000 meals a day for staff from 20 cafeterias, has six Tulley's Coffee shops, a hospital, fire department, bank, childcare centre and a railway station.

The massive production facility has six doors, each a canvas for artwork depicting the company's planes. Everyday or so those doors open to disgorge yet another giant for the skies. And some of those planes are being built at record rates. For example, the 747 and 767 are being constructed at about two a month while the new kids on the block, the 777 and 787, have production rates of eight and 10 a month. At any one time there will be about 30 planes out on the flight line being prepared for delivery for customers across the globe. Since the building was constructed in the late Sixties, Boeing has built 1498 747s, 1066 767s, 1254 777s and 210 787s. Some 787s are produced at another facility in South Carolina. And Boeing has just broken ground on yet another extension to the massive building to house production of the new Boeing 777Xs composite wing.

An aspect of American capitalistic (actually intelligent in this case) outlook on virtually everything is that it tries to generate money out of everything. So, in this case, a factory tour of the plant by commoners and aviation enthusiasts was initiated as a way of making extra money, raise aviation awareness, product advertisement, etc. On the very first year of starting factory tour in 1968 more than 39,000 people visited the place. This number has now shot up to 280,000 annually! What a way to go with capitalism! and since that time more than 3 million people have visited the production facility. Public tours are available seven days a week.

For more info, check out this website:- http://www.futureofflight.org