Searpqx From Netherlands, joined Jun 2000, 4343 posts, RR: 12 Reply 2, posted (11 years 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 815 times:
This tour really is everything the story makes it out to be. To enthusiasts, it can be a little disappointing because the level of detail is geared to the general public and not to us, and as mentioned there are no pictures, period! But I've found if you tune out the guide and just spend your time gawking at everything from the individual fuselage sections to the freshly painted planes waiting for delivery, you'll not regret the drive to Everett.
Two points to be aware of if you're coming to the area and want to go on this tour this summer:
1. Our traffic is horrendous. Between 3P and 6P the 25 mile drive from downtown Seattle to Paine Field can easily take 1 to 1.5 hours! Your best bet is go early in the day
2. During the summer, tour companies can and do fill up over 1/2 the daily tours. Its not uncommon on most days for the tours to be completely full for the day by 12N. Again, go early.
Duane
"The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity"
ExitRow From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (11 years 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 803 times:
Last time I was at the Everett plant, I was in a small grassy area waiting about a half an hour for the tour to begin. Since they had said there were no cameras allowed, I had left mine in the car. Just then I noticed an all-white 727 doing touch and goes on the nearby runway. (I believe it was a Super-727 test bed a/c.) After about two cycles, he does a gear up, high-speed, low altitude pass. I made a mad dash for the camera in case he did a few more of those but of course, when I was ready to shoot, he landed...
Moral of the story: Take your camera and hang onto to it until you're just about ready to go on the tour. You never know what you'll see flying around Paine Field.
If you visit the Seattle, be sure not to miss the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field also. It is geared towards us airplane geeks and you won't be disappointed. Bring your camera here too. Of course, the one time I did not, an F-14 Tomcat being donated to the museum and a visiting F-18 Super Hornet flew in and taxied into the parking lot of the Museum. (No joke.) Of course, my camera was at home.
And yes, the traffic here sucks. Thank god we have good coffee at least...
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