Airplane house: Difference between revisions
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An Airplane House is a residential home made from a retired or scraped aircraft. The houses are usually old airliners that used to make customer routes, but have now been sent to a [[scrap yard]] because of age or all of the cuts that airlines are making due to the economy<ref>”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [http://www.airplanehomes.com/], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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#REDIRECT [[Eugene A. Gilmore House]] |
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The main reason that people are converting these old airliners is because of cost and the [[environmentally friendly]] aspect of it. The regular life of an airliner is running routes until it is sent to the [[scrap yard]] and crushed or melted down and reused in other [[machines]] or sold as [[scrap metal]]. Instead of using the energy and time of crushing and melting the planes, people buy them from the scrap yard and use the frame as a base for a house<ref>”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [http://www.boeing.com/commercial/727family/index.html], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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These houses typically have the same amount of [[square footage]] as a normal [[house]], just in a different shape. Lighting, [[heating]]/[[air conditioning]], and [[plumbing]] are all easily installed once the plane is transported to its final destination from the [[scrap yard]]. The plane houses often have the [[cockpit]] and back of the plane turned into either a [[bedroom]] or [[bathroom]]. Then a room in the middle which is another [[bedroom]]. The remaining area is made into a [[living room]]/[[kitchen]]<ref>”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [http://www.airplanehome.com/], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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Owners of the house are very pleased with them because of their low energy costs. Since the planes are designed to be extremely high in the air in cold weather, the fuselages are extremely well [[insulated]]. These houses also have very good [[storage]] area. The [[cargo hold]] underneath that is normally used to carry customer bags is now yours to use as an [[attic]] type storage area and the [[wings]] can even be converted into decks if you desire<ref>”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [http://www.airplanehome.com/], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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The [[financial]] aspect of these homes is appealing as well. They are very low maintenance and low cost to build. The average cost of one of these houses to build is about $35,000 to $55,000. This includes the plane, land ([[minimal]] amount of area), inside systems ([[plumbing]], [[electrical]], and heating/[[air conditioning]]), and the transporting of the plane from the [[scrap yard]]. |
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==Construction== |
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The construction of the house is fairly simple since the frame of the aircraft is already assembled. Once you buy it from the [[scrap yard]] they will most likely dismantle the various pieces of the [[aircraft]] and put them on [[flatbeds]] to transport it to your [[property]]. Once it has arrived they will use a [[crane]] to place it in your yard how you want it and reattach the pieces. The plane requires no [[foundation]] because it is not a [[building]]. It is best to have the [[landing gear]] removed at the [[scrap yard]] so you don’t have to deal with that process when it arrives<ref>”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [http://www.airplanehomes.com/], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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Once the plane is placed and assembled you must go to work on the inside. There will most likely be wires and other useless digital [[mechanisms]] left over from when the plane was stripped. You must remove all of these so they do not interfere with the new [[electrical]] and [[plumbing]] systems that will be installed. The nice part about this is it is an easy “do it yourself” job which requires no training or skills. You just start cutting and pulling the wires and cables out. The best way to go about this is to set aside a [[weekend]] and rent a full sized [[dumpster]] which you can throw everything into. If you find the right place they might even give you a little bit of money for the [[metal]] inside the cables<ref>”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [http://www.airplanehomes.com/], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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After the inside is clean from all of the previous [[wires]] and [[electronics]], you can hire someone to install the [[plumbing]], [[electrical]], and [[duct work]] for [[heating]]/[[air conditioning]]. This is the best time to do this because there is are no [[walls]] or [[floors]] that will get in the way of the craftsman’s work. It is best to hire somebody for these systems since you are starting from complete scratch. |
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After the systems are installed you should hire a [[carpenter]] to put in walls and floors. This is the point where you can begin to get creative because you get to design the [[floor plan]]. The easiest way is to have one room at each end and a large room in the middle. This room will be the [[living room]] and [[kitchen]]. Some [[aircraft]] are big enough that you can fit another room at the back that can be a second [[bedroom]]. The [[carpenter]] will install the [[floors]], [[walls]], and [[ceilings]] to all the areas of the plane. |
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After this your house is just about complete. All that is left is to buy things like [[carpeting]] and [[furniture]] to make it a real house. |
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==Advantages== |
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There are many reasons that you would build this type of house. For starters the cost effectiveness. The entire project is much less than most [[suburban]] homes and has much less [[maintenance]]. Also there will be no [[mortgage]] on the [[property]] for the original builder, which means you will own your home sooner. It is also a good home for first time buyers because it is inexpensive and a full size house. In addition to low building costs it is very inexpensive to heat and cool. The [[fuselage]] is designed to be very well [[insulated]] because they have to hold up to extreme cold in high [[altitudes]]. This makes it very good at keeping the [[temperature]] and takes very little to change the [[temperature]] inside<ref>”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [http://www.boeing.com/commercial/727family/index.html], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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Another reason that people build these homes is because of the [[environmental]] responsibility. Using an old [[aircraft]] which will no longer fly is saving the materials and reusing them. Otherwise the [[aircraft]] will either sit in a [[scrap yard]] and take years before the scrapping machines get to it and it is melted down. These houses can also very easily be converted to an off grid [[solar panel]] system. If you live in a sunny area, you could just install [[solar]] panels on the [[wings]] of the [[aircraft]] since that space is most likely not being used<ref>”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [http://www.boeing.com/commercial/727family/index.html], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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The final main advantage to these houses is the uniqueness. You don’t see many airliners as your driving down the road do you. Many people will be interested in how it works and why it exists. The retired plane will probably attract quite a bit of attention from the neighbors. |
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==Costs== |
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Airplane homes are very cost effective both to build and in the long run. The scrapped and stripped airliners that formerly shuttled [[passengers]] from place to place are now just sitting in scrap yards all over the country and are only valued for their [[aluminum]]. Depending on the place, condition, and age of the [[aircraft]] you can pick one up for anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 that would be suitable for conversion to a residential home<ref>”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [http://www.airplanehome.com/], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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Generally the modern airliners are around 100 feet and the [[wing span]] is somewhere around that, which means that you need a minimum land requirement of about one [[acre]] if you want to have some yard. In some areas of the country now you can get [[suburban]] land of that size for around $15,000. Once you have these two items bought the large purchases are out of the way. The next biggest expense is the shipping of the [[aircraft]]. It will take several [[tractor trailer]] trucks to transport the entire plane when it is dismantled. Depending on the company fares and the length that the plane is being transported the fee will most likely be a few thousand dollars. |
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After the aircraft has been delivered to your property the process can be slowed down a bit. You can take however long you need to gut the inside and have the professionals add the systems to the shell. It is best to hire people to do this which will cost some money, but when you are dealing with things like electricity and plumbing, better safe than sorry. Eventually after all this is completed it will come time to furnish the home. The cost of this largely depends on the [[furniture]] you pick and your personal tastes. |
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==Professional Companies== |
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Since there is not really a demand for this kind of a home mainly because nobody really knows that it exists, there is only one company that is doing this professionally. The company, however, takes it to the next level. They put their planes up on a pole like [[pivot]] which allows the plane to spin like a [[weathervane]]. The purpose of this is to have the aircraft spin and always face the wind. This allows the plane to hold up to 280 mph winds without having any problems<ref>”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [http://www.airplanehomes.com/], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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The only problem with buying the home from this company is the cost. You could build it yourself and pay around $45,000 or you could buy the already built house from this company for $315,000. Also if you build the aircraft home yourself there is a lot more customizability. You get to make your own floor plan, furnishings, and the set up of the lights and plumbing the way you would like it<ref>”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [http://www.airplanehomes.com/], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.</ref>. |
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==See Also== |
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*[[Boeing]] |
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*[[Boeing 727]] |
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*[[Airbus]] |
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*[[Aircraft Boneyard]] |
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==References== |
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<references/> |
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==External Links== |
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*[http://www.airplanehomes.com/ Web Site of Only Professional Company Currently |
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Revision as of 11:30, 16 March 2011
An Airplane House is a residential home made from a retired or scraped aircraft. The houses are usually old airliners that used to make customer routes, but have now been sent to a scrap yard because of age or all of the cuts that airlines are making due to the economy[1]. The main reason that people are converting these old airliners is because of cost and the environmentally friendly aspect of it. The regular life of an airliner is running routes until it is sent to the scrap yard and crushed or melted down and reused in other machines or sold as scrap metal. Instead of using the energy and time of crushing and melting the planes, people buy them from the scrap yard and use the frame as a base for a house[2]. These houses typically have the same amount of square footage as a normal house, just in a different shape. Lighting, heating/air conditioning, and plumbing are all easily installed once the plane is transported to its final destination from the scrap yard. The plane houses often have the cockpit and back of the plane turned into either a bedroom or bathroom. Then a room in the middle which is another bedroom. The remaining area is made into a living room/kitchen[3]. Owners of the house are very pleased with them because of their low energy costs. Since the planes are designed to be extremely high in the air in cold weather, the fuselages are extremely well insulated. These houses also have very good storage area. The cargo hold underneath that is normally used to carry customer bags is now yours to use as an attic type storage area and the wings can even be converted into decks if you desire[4]. The financial aspect of these homes is appealing as well. They are very low maintenance and low cost to build. The average cost of one of these houses to build is about $35,000 to $55,000. This includes the plane, land (minimal amount of area), inside systems (plumbing, electrical, and heating/air conditioning), and the transporting of the plane from the scrap yard.
Construction
The construction of the house is fairly simple since the frame of the aircraft is already assembled. Once you buy it from the scrap yard they will most likely dismantle the various pieces of the aircraft and put them on flatbeds to transport it to your property. Once it has arrived they will use a crane to place it in your yard how you want it and reattach the pieces. The plane requires no foundation because it is not a building. It is best to have the landing gear removed at the scrap yard so you don’t have to deal with that process when it arrives[5]. Once the plane is placed and assembled you must go to work on the inside. There will most likely be wires and other useless digital mechanisms left over from when the plane was stripped. You must remove all of these so they do not interfere with the new electrical and plumbing systems that will be installed. The nice part about this is it is an easy “do it yourself” job which requires no training or skills. You just start cutting and pulling the wires and cables out. The best way to go about this is to set aside a weekend and rent a full sized dumpster which you can throw everything into. If you find the right place they might even give you a little bit of money for the metal inside the cables[6]. After the inside is clean from all of the previous wires and electronics, you can hire someone to install the plumbing, electrical, and duct work for heating/air conditioning. This is the best time to do this because there is are no walls or floors that will get in the way of the craftsman’s work. It is best to hire somebody for these systems since you are starting from complete scratch. After the systems are installed you should hire a carpenter to put in walls and floors. This is the point where you can begin to get creative because you get to design the floor plan. The easiest way is to have one room at each end and a large room in the middle. This room will be the living room and kitchen. Some aircraft are big enough that you can fit another room at the back that can be a second bedroom. The carpenter will install the floors, walls, and ceilings to all the areas of the plane. After this your house is just about complete. All that is left is to buy things like carpeting and furniture to make it a real house.
Advantages
There are many reasons that you would build this type of house. For starters the cost effectiveness. The entire project is much less than most suburban homes and has much less maintenance. Also there will be no mortgage on the property for the original builder, which means you will own your home sooner. It is also a good home for first time buyers because it is inexpensive and a full size house. In addition to low building costs it is very inexpensive to heat and cool. The fuselage is designed to be very well insulated because they have to hold up to extreme cold in high altitudes. This makes it very good at keeping the temperature and takes very little to change the temperature inside[7]. Another reason that people build these homes is because of the environmental responsibility. Using an old aircraft which will no longer fly is saving the materials and reusing them. Otherwise the aircraft will either sit in a scrap yard and take years before the scrapping machines get to it and it is melted down. These houses can also very easily be converted to an off grid solar panel system. If you live in a sunny area, you could just install solar panels on the wings of the aircraft since that space is most likely not being used[8]. The final main advantage to these houses is the uniqueness. You don’t see many airliners as your driving down the road do you. Many people will be interested in how it works and why it exists. The retired plane will probably attract quite a bit of attention from the neighbors.
Costs
Airplane homes are very cost effective both to build and in the long run. The scrapped and stripped airliners that formerly shuttled passengers from place to place are now just sitting in scrap yards all over the country and are only valued for their aluminum. Depending on the place, condition, and age of the aircraft you can pick one up for anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 that would be suitable for conversion to a residential home[9]. Generally the modern airliners are around 100 feet and the wing span is somewhere around that, which means that you need a minimum land requirement of about one acre if you want to have some yard. In some areas of the country now you can get suburban land of that size for around $15,000. Once you have these two items bought the large purchases are out of the way. The next biggest expense is the shipping of the aircraft. It will take several tractor trailer trucks to transport the entire plane when it is dismantled. Depending on the company fares and the length that the plane is being transported the fee will most likely be a few thousand dollars. After the aircraft has been delivered to your property the process can be slowed down a bit. You can take however long you need to gut the inside and have the professionals add the systems to the shell. It is best to hire people to do this which will cost some money, but when you are dealing with things like electricity and plumbing, better safe than sorry. Eventually after all this is completed it will come time to furnish the home. The cost of this largely depends on the furniture you pick and your personal tastes.
Professional Companies
Since there is not really a demand for this kind of a home mainly because nobody really knows that it exists, there is only one company that is doing this professionally. The company, however, takes it to the next level. They put their planes up on a pole like pivot which allows the plane to spin like a weathervane. The purpose of this is to have the aircraft spin and always face the wind. This allows the plane to hold up to 280 mph winds without having any problems[10]. The only problem with buying the home from this company is the cost. You could build it yourself and pay around $45,000 or you could buy the already built house from this company for $315,000. Also if you build the aircraft home yourself there is a lot more customizability. You get to make your own floor plan, furnishings, and the set up of the lights and plumbing the way you would like it[11].
See Also
References
- ^ ”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [1], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [2], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [3], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [4], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [5], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [6], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [7], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Boeing History” Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company [8], 2011, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Home Project” Boeing 727-200 Home Conversion Project [9], 2006, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [10], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ ”Airplane Homes” AirplaneHomes.com [11], 2003, accessed March 15, 2011.
External Links
- [http://www.airplanehomes.com/ Web Site of Only Professional Company Currently