Another World

I spent most of my working life at a major research university as a writer, editor, and photographer, focused primarily on medicine and in the last eight years, on music.

Today I visited a very different world, along with Phil and our friends A and C -- the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour in Everett, about 60 miles south of us.

Phil spent most of his working life at Boeing, and had worked at this plant many years ago, when it was smaller. I had never been in any kind of manufacturing plant before, so to see one as high-tech and enormous as this one was quite an experience! 

Eric, the leader of our 90-minute tour, was personable and knowledgeable, and the complexity of the work being done before us, as Boeing 747s, 777s, and 787s were being assembled, was dazzling. 

Go to the link above and scroll down for a superb brief time-lapse video of a 787-9 Dreamliner being assembled -- I highly recommend it! -- and also two photos of the assembly floor. And this brief overview of the Everett Production Facility is worth taking a look at, if only to see the sheer size of the building and the lovely murals on it.

Cameras are not permitted on the tour, nor are personal items such as purses, backpacks, binoculars, cell phones, etc. Free lockers are available to tour participants.

After finishing the tour, we enjoyed the exhibits in the Aerospace Gallery and Strato Deck, where photography is allowed. That's our friend A examining an engine, and you can catch a glimpse of Phil, as well. To see him better, check out his blip -- and I concur whole-heartedly with his final sentence!

Blip 1822