Business Insider
Lifestyle

Tour The Massive Factory Where Boeing Dreamliners Are Built

boeing dreamliner
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

The first Boeing 787 Dreamliner was delivered to All Nippon Airway this week amid huge fanfare.

The plane, first announced in 2003, was exciting for several reasons, including the fact that it's the world's first composite airliner, built without multiple aluminum sheets and thousands of fasteners.

But the REALLY incredible thing about the Dreamliner is the way it's produced.

Instead of building each aircraft under one roof, Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington receives pre-built pieces from factories around the world, allowing for a simpler assembly line, lower inventory and quicker production overall.

Our friends at Jaunted were lucky enough to get a tour of the factory floor, and have shared photos of their experience with us.

The massive building (it's the largest in the world, by volume) is filled with parts, completed airliners, and even a diner for the staff.

An underground tunnel at the plant

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

The Everett, Washington factory is the largest building in the world, by volume

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Here's the first Dreamliner for United Airlines

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

The Dreamliner Diner is a café that feeds some of the thousands of workers at the plant

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Plane parts are everywhere

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Parts arrive, premade, from factories around the world

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Here, a 787 wing waits to be attached

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Boeing is working with 50 tier-one suppliers for the Dreamliner

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

So this is what the inside of a wing looks like

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Next to these jumbo jets, visitors look like ants

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Tools on the factory floor

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

"Nice frugality," says Jaunted

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

A panoramic view of the plant floor

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

This plane is being built for All Nippon Airways

boeing dreamliner 787 factory insideboeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Nose-to-nose with the 787

boeing dreamliner 787 factory inside
Cynthia Drescher for Jaunted

Read next

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account