Boeing Everett Factory and the missing glasses!

The Boeing Everett Facility is the largest building in the world by volume. Its footprint covers 98.3 acres (39.9 hectares). That's 4.3 million square feet (more than 399,000 square metres) ... enough space for 911 basketball courts!

This is where the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner are assembled, painted, tested and delivered to customers.

Nearly all the parts and components of the airplanes that Boeing designs and assembles are manufactured elsewhere. Several suppliers within Boeing build interiors, electrical systems and electronics.
It can take more than a year from the time an order is placed until the airplane is ready for delivery. About half of that time is needed just to get the parts.



I think that is incredible! We ordered 2 FlexAble Garden Hoses to be delivered - that was in June and we are still waiting. Mind you we are a bit of a moving feast ...!!











We are booked into a tour of the Boeing Everett Factory at 9.30am. The tour takes about one and a half hours.
Security is paramount; we are not able to take cameras (of any kind) into the Factory and no bags - even handbags - are allowed.


Mace would have loved this tour!! We spend some time and money in the gift shop - all for Mace!

Facts -  The 747-8 - Boeing's largest commercial airplane - has 6 million parts.
             The 747 fleet has logged more than 42 billion nautical miles (77.8 billion kms) - equivalent to                        101,500 trips from the earth to the moon and back.
             The 767-300ER holds 23,980 gallons (90,770 litres) of fuel.
             The 777's U-shaped production line moves at a rate of 1.8 inches (4.6 cms) per minute.
             The 787 Dreamliner uses 20% less fuel on comparable missions than other airplanes in its class.
             The 787 has approximately 70 miles (113 kms) of wiring.
             The Everett site is run like a small city with its own fire department, security force, fully staffed                        medical clinic, electrical substations and water treatment plant, cafeterias and coffee shops.
           
After the Boeing tour, we explore Everett and end up at Makilteo - where the ferry leaves for Whidbey Island. We watch a couple of RV's board a ferry. It is all possible; we may take a ferry next week.

We also check out a Harley Davidson Trike at Marysville. This is the plan - to bring a Harley home!


Although we are looking out over Puget Sound, we are getting very close to the Pacific Ocean.

We have lunch at a cafe overlooking these waters. It is now a beautiful day - the view is very pretty!

A strawberry plant growing
 out of a jetty pile!

On Sunday we drive into Seattle; it helps that it is Sunday and that we are in a car!! Now we are truly in Washington. We visit Pike Place Market said to be the 'soul' of Seattle, known as much for its colourful personality as for its abundant local produce.

Pike Place Market was established in 1907 and is now a historic district busy with farmers, artists and street performers. Fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and flowers grown by local farmers vie with fishmongers. There is even the worlds first Starbucks!!

A wonderful 'local' experience.






Arts and crafts stalls, galleries and small shops are all there too! Not exactly Trevor's favorite sort of place, but we paid for 2 hours parking so he might as well make the most of it.













No! I didn't stand in line for a coffee from the historic birthplace of Starbucks - it was too long!

We have lunch at a Whole Foods Market - you can put together a combination of salads or a slice of pizza or soup or vegetables; the choice is endless. They serve wonderful coffee; you can even have a beer or glass of wine. It is a combination of health food store and grocer.

We had lunch at a Whole Food Market in Los Angeles with the kids when they were over. I remember that Mace was overwhelmed by choice - as I am today!













Then we go up to the Observation Deck of the Columbia Centre. 932 ft high, it is the tallest building in the Pacific Northwest - with a 360 degree viewing area one can look down on ferries, cars, islands, roofs and other buildings including the Space Needle!
The view is incredible with a panorama of majestic mountains, Puget Sound and the beautiful city that is Seattle.



[In 2004 the 9/11 Commission reported that the original plan for the September 11, 2001 attacks, called for the hijacking of 10 planes to be crashed into targets including the 'tallest buildings in California and Washington State'. In Washington this would have been the Columbia Centre.]

And the glasses?? Trevor left his reading glasses in the glove box of the rental car. By the time we discovered they were missing, the rental car had gone from the lot. The office staff at Enterprise went out of their way to recover the glasses - thankfully!