Boeing Tour

toolsteel · Jun 22, 2014

I am headed to Seattle to visit family next week. The Mrs. found a Boeing tour online. Has anyone taken this tour? What did you think? Do you actually get to see planes being made? Its $18 for a 90 minute guided tour. Just wondering if it is cool or lame.

Krutch · Jun 23, 2014

I certainly don't know, but a tour of any airplane plant would be interesting to me. And for only $18.00, Boeing should be a worth while trip.

sch · Jun 24, 2014

If the tour is in Everett, be aware it is a fair drive north. I keep kicking myself for missing it, as we were visiting friends on Whidbey and the ferry to Whidbey is only a mile or so from the
plant. Couldn't back track for time constraints. One other comment, Botanical garden is well worth a stroll through, it is several miles long and has numerous habitats. The zoo is not
worth visiting IMO, about half the animals were not to be seen. Another suggestion: the Chihuly exhibit next to the 'space needle', they will even take your picture and email it to you.

jmead · Jun 24, 2014

I'm sure it's the Everett/Paine Field plant. I go by all the time on my way to Whidbey but never stopped to take the tour, I sure would make time if I was a visitor though. If you go between rush hours it's only 25 minutes from downtown, exit 189 vs exit 167. They have a new museum there in addition to the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in south Seattle.

ss_again · Jun 24, 2014

The Everett/Paine Field tour pretty cool when I went on it 12 years ago.

Cornilsn · Jun 24, 2014

a co worker said he went and that he enjoyed what he saw.

Just remember that, even though they look and move as fast as wax museum displays, it is infact a full throttle union operation.

motion guru · Jun 24, 2014

I have never been on the tour, but I have been working there when the tour has walked by on an overhead walkway. They were touring through the 777 moving production line area. If you have never been in an airplane plant, it is worth a visit, large facilities, overhead crane operators driving all over the place, various aircraft assembly processes throughout.

toolsteel · Jul 5, 2014

Well........just got home from my trip out west. We did take the Boeing tour....it was Everett / paine field. It was pretty cool. A lot of large pieces being moved and worked on. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the plant and the company. He didn't seem to know as much about manufacturing....but to be fair the tour is designed for the average person...not necessarily those interested in the details of manufacturing. What I found most interesting was the moving platform that the plane sits on while being assembled and the "saddle" that is mounted to the outside of the plane that allows workers to walk over the plane from one side to the other.I recommend taking the tour......BTW....traffic was crazy out there lol

Miguels244 · Jul 5, 2014

Is the surplus store still open?

Aaron Setunsky · Jul 6, 2014

The surplus store shut down to regular consumers a few years ago. It went wholesale only. Unless things changed again.

Big B · Jul 6, 2014

Probably would be better if the workers all rushed around like it was their last day on earth. What could go wrong? They are just building airplanes.

You never miss an opportunity to get in a dig on unions, do you? I would love to follow you around for a week and scrutinize your every move. But I would imagine that in your mind you are the most productive employee in the world.

Also, if the employees move at the same pace as the figures in a wax museum how do the aircraft get built?

Big B

Cornilsn said:
a co worker said he went and that he enjoyed what he saw.

Just remember that, even though they look and move as fast as wax museum displays, it is infact a full throttle union operation.

John Welden · Jul 6, 2014

I've been and it's very cool. Even non nerds like my wife really liked it. The museum onsite is great too. They have a cut away jet engine that you can touch and spin.

You should also hit the museum of flight in Seattle. There's tons of cool stuff in there like the SR 71, Gossamer Albatross, Concord and a B17 (that you can go inside)

There is a sr71 cockpit you can sit in.

There is a space shuttle trainer thing where the flight deck and other areas look exactly like the real ones. You can sit in the captains chair and what not. Very cool.

There is Richard Nixon's Air Force One you can go inside.

Tons of shit.

smalltime · Jul 6, 2014

There is Richard Nixon's Air Force One you can go inside.

EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!

Sorry, I had to do it.

It DOES sound like a great tour.

CarbideBob · Jul 6, 2014

Krutch said:
I certainly don't know, but a tour of any airplane plant would be interesting to me. And for only $18.00, Boeing should be a worth while trip.

Who do you pay for these guided tours? Boeing?
Bob

Jashley73 · Jul 6, 2014

Thanks for posting. This sounds like a cool stop if I ever make it to the west-coast again.

Sorry to go off topic, but John's post reminded me about a time I visited the Wriggt-Patterson Air Force Museum, in Dayton, Ohio.

A buddy of mine were walking through the museum, and made it to the modern aircraft hangar. They have a B2-Stealth bomber roped off, but on display. I tried several times to get a photo of the plane, and for the life of me, the camera would not focus... Every picture just looked like a dark grey blur. Finally, I pointed the camera down towards the landing gear and was able to get a decent picture, but the camera still wouldn't focus on the skin...

Probably just a coincidence, but it still gave me a chuckle...

toolsteel · Jul 6, 2014

Jashley73 said:
Thanks for posting. This sounds like a cool stop if I ever make it to the west-coast again.

Sorry to go off topic, but John's post reminded me about a time I visited the Wriggt-Patterson Air Force Museum, in Dayton, Ohio.

A buddy of mine were walking through the museum, and made it to the modern aircraft hangar. They have a B2-Stealth bomber roped off, but on display. I tried several times to get a photo of the plane, and for the life of me, the camera would not focus... Every picture just looked like a dark grey blur. Finally, I pointed the camera down towards the landing gear and was able to get a decent picture, but the camera still wouldn't focus on the skin...

Probably just a coincidence, but it still gave me a chuckle...

We were not allowed cameras at Boeing.....I would have liked one though. I actually would have liked to just stand in one spot and watch all day. Would have been even better if I could have brought a lawn chair and cooler of beer. Send the Mrs. and the Princess shopping and just sit there all day. lol

toolsteel · Jul 6, 2014

CarbideBob said:
Who do you pay for these guided tours? Boeing?
Bob

We booked it online at the Boeing website. I did notice a brochure at the hotel that advertised the same tour we paid $18 for being sold for $65 with the only difference being a bus ride to the plant and back to the hotel.

bcstractor · Jul 6, 2014

The Museum restoration workshop is just around the corner from the Everett plant. It is FAR MORE interesting. Real people working on real aircraft and you can even touch things and talk to people.
The Museum of Flight Restoration Center at Paine Field, Everett | The Museum of Flight

Chris P

toolsteel · Jul 6, 2014

bcstractor said:
The Museum restoration workshop is just around the corner from the Everett plant. It is FAR MORE interesting. Real people working on real aircraft and you can even touch things and talk to people.
The Museum of Flight Restoration Center at Paine Field, Everett | The Museum of Flight

Chris P

Assuming the Princess remains in Seattle I will put that on the agenda for my next visit to her.

hanermo · Jul 7, 2014

Thanks for the heads up guys !

Next time I am in the US, I´ll see if I can go that way as well.
For those of us far far away, its really interesting to hear about places like this.

Much Appreciated.

Boeing Tour

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