HILLSBORO, Ore., June 7 (Reuters) - Deep in the Oregon woods
and rolling hills outside the Portland suburbs, where
orchards dot the landscape, a Boeing 727 appears to have
landed at the top of a steep dirt driveway encircled by
towering pines. For Bruce Campbell, it is home. Complete
with wings, and landing gear resting on pillars, it is where
Campbell spends six months of the year. In 1999, the former
electrical engineer had a vision: To save retired jetliners
from becoming scrap metal by reusing them. Slightly built
and with a charming smile, the 64-year-old Campbell sees the
task as part of his goal in life. "Mine is to change
humanity's behavior in this little niche," he said as he
stood beside the plane, lamenting the need to power wash its
exterior and trim the dense foliage. Campbell is one of a
small number of people worldwide - from Texas to the
Netherlands - who have transformed retired aircraft into a
living space or other creative project, although a spokesman
for the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association was unable to
say precisely how many planes are re-used this way. AFRA, an
organization made up of industry leaders including Boeing
that focus on sustainable end-of-service practices for
airframes and engines, estimates that 1,200 to 1,800
aircraft will be dismantled globally over the next three
years, and 500 to 600 will be retired annually over the next
two decades. "AFRA is happy to see aircraft fuselages
re-purposed in a range of creative ways," said AFRA
spokesman Martin Todd. "We would want them to be recovered
and be re-used in an environmentally sustainable fashion."
Campbell was in his early 20s when he paid around $23,000
for the 10 acres on which his plane rests. His original plan
was to make a home from freight vans, but then he decided a
plane would be better. A van still sits nearby, covered in
growth. ORIGINAL FEATURES He purchased the 727 after hearing
about a Mississippi hairdresser who had done it. Now, about
$220,000, many years of work and several hard-learned
lessons later, Campbell is ready to do it all over again,
this time with a Boeing 747 he hopes to buy and move to
Japan, where he also spends half of the year. Campbell is
working to restore some of the plane's original features,
from the cockpit to flight stairs, a working lavatory, LED
lighting and some of the seats. "For him to be running
electricity and flashing beacons is kind of amazing," said
Katie Braun, a pilot and flight instructor who came to see
the airplane home after learning about it in 2012. "It makes
perfect sense that they use those airplanes for something,"
she said. "It's a fascinating concept. I think it could take
traction if people were more environmental." The transition
wasn't easy. While restoring the plane, Campbell spent years
living in a mobile home. When that became infested with
mice, he moved into the aircraft, despite lacking a building
permit. On board, Campbell leads a modest life. He sleeps on
a futon, bathes in a makeshift shower and cooks with a
microwave or toaster, eating mostly canned food and cereal.
A shoe rack with numerous pairs of slippers greets visitors,
and he asks that everyone wear slippers or socks to avoid
tracking in dirt. While Campbell has created a website with
details on rebuilding planes, he's not the only one with
such a vision. Aircraft have been made into homes in Texas,
Costa Rica and the Netherlands. And Florida has an airplane
boat. "I think most people are nerds in their hearts in some
measure," Campbell said. "The point is to have fun."
http://airplanehome.com/
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