A Creative Vision
Bruce Campbell is a retired electrical engineer and is 64 years old. He was always creative and innovative, which allowed him to see behind what things were used for and how they might be used differently. This all started when he bought 10 acres of land in the forests of Hillsboro in his 20s for a mere $23,000.
A Creative Vision
From Childhood
Since he was a child, Bruce enjoyed playing with discarded things and turning them into something new. Initially, he bought the Hillsboro land to renovate freights vans and turn them into a house. Then, he heard about someone who had built something else entirely as a home.
From Childhood
An Interesting Idea
About 20 years later, when he was in his 40s, he found Joanne Ussery. She was from Mississippi and had become a hairdresser. She chose to buy a Boeing 727 airplane and turned it into a house. Before this innovation, she lived in a regular house, but it burned down. This ultimately led to her decision to make a functional house from an airplane.
An Interesting Idea
Starting Small
While Campbell already started with the freight trains, he decided it would be original and inventive to try to do the same with a bigger plane. Of course, he also figured it might be more of a challenge. Since he already had those 10 acres, space wasn’t a problem, but money was because he had to buy the plane and get it to Oregon.
Starting Small
To Purchase a Plane
Bruce decided to buy his Boeing 727 in 1999. He found one from Olympic Airways for purchase, which was based at the Athens Airport. He forked over $100,000, but then the real issues began. How was he going to get it to Hillsboro, Oregon?
To Purchase A Plane
Transporting the Aircraft
Transferring an airplane from Greece to Oregon was one of the most difficult tasks of the entire affair. He had to arrange the move, culminate the completion, and deal with a few other minor issues. This all cost him $120,000. Before he had even started to renovate the plane, he already spent $220,000! Still, it didn’t deter him because he got his money’s worth in many ways.
Transporting The Aircraft
Relocating Something Huge
Since Bruce was diligent and hard-working, he wasn’t swayed by how much work he had to do. He wanted this airplane to be his home, so his first step was to get it into the woods. Moving it seemed insane, but that wasn’t the biggest issue.
Relocating Something Huge
Building the Wings
Many men had to be employed to dismantle the airplane’s wings to make it into the clearing of his ‘backyard.’ They had to take off the wings in such a way that they could put them back on correctly after the ordeal.
Building The Wings
Privacy Is Essential
You are probably wondering about the legal issues surrounding the move of the airplane into the woods. Bruce was adamant that the law was on his side, so he bought every piece of ground he would need to put the plane. The authorities were in awe because of his creativity and ingenuity.
Privacy Is Essential
His New Vision
At first, Campbell saw the plane as a pleasant way to spend his days and didn’t have any expectations or visions. Still, he had always known he wanted to upcycle the airplane into something grand and livable. He truly believes that airliners can be turned into homes and shouldn’t just be scrapped.
His New Vision
Moving to the Forest
Over the next several years, Bruce lived in a freight van while he worked hard on the airplane renovation. Of course, the forest relocation wasn’t easy, but he wanted to complete his task and didn’t want to give up. Trouble was ahead, though.
Moving To The Forest
Unexpected Issues
Soon after the move, his freight van had a mouse infestation. Clearly, this is only natural when you live in the woods. Still, he now had to live in his airplane instead. Luckily, it helped him see the spacing and how he might transform it into a home.
Unexpected Issues
Converging of Nature and Machine
Bruce talked about his vision in many interviews. He wanted people to know that they could think it was odd or lonely to live in the middle of the woods in an airplane, but he didn’t feel it was unnatural. In fact, planes were better engineered than other livable structures.
Converging Of Nature And Machine
The Moment of Truth
Campbell wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do in the Boeing 727’s interior, but once he moved in, it became clear. He closed his eyes and removed the sets and people. When he opened them, he considered the living room.
The Moment Of Truth
Tough to Clean
Before he finally unveiled the jetliner house, Bruce cleaned up the exterior of his plane with a pressure washer. He believed it was going to be one of the easier tasks, but it took about four days to finish and remove all the grime.
Tough To Clean
Preserve and Conserve
He’s got to clean the Boeing 727’s exterior every two years or so. To do that, he had to access the engines at the top of the plane with a ladder. Because there’s a risk of falling or the hose going out of control, it’s quite dangerous. This is a little concerning, but he feels it’s well worth it.
Preserve And Conserve
His Unconventional Home
Campbell always says that a conventional home is like a family’s Ford or Chevy, but an airline is like a Porsche or Tesla. He believes that every airliner that can no longer fly should be turned into an aerospace castle fit for living or retirement purposes.
His Unconventional Home
An Aerospace Castle
To keep up with the image of castles, Bruce’s Boeing 727 has concrete pillars around it and a driveway to lead up to the renovated aircraft house. If you visit the area, you can clearly see how much work he has done to it, and it wasn’t a mistake or an emergency landing.
An Aerospace Castle
Save It or Scrap It
Campbell removed a lot of the equipment and wanted to find new uses for everything or recycle it. Therefore, he chose to leave most of the controls and instruments inside the cockpit. Plus, he restructured the inside to make it easier to handle daily living tasks with various modifications.
Save It Or Scrap It
A Never-ending Work in Progress
Though his home is now complete, it’s actually a never-ending process, though it is fully functioning and practical. The shower is a homemade design he created, and he restored many original features of the plane. He also worked on the restrooms, flight stairs, LED lights, and some of the seats that were there.
A Never Ending Work In Progress
How to Open the Door
To enter the airliner house, you’ve got to use the original folding staircase. It almost seems like you’re embarking on the aircraft for a flight, if not for the natural surroundings. Today, you walk up the short flight of stairs, and you’re in Bruce’s home.
How To Open The Door
It’s in the Details
Bruce considered every detail. The shoe rack is filled with slippers at the front of the airplane so his guests can wear them. He likes his guests to wear socks or slippers to help with cleanliness. It’s quite hard to clean this house!
It’s in the Details
The First Rule of Entering
The glass floor is always dirty because of the forest location. Therefore, Bruce makes sure he adheres to the slipper/sock rule. Though he lives by himself, he takes immense pride in his home and ensures that the airplane is pristine at all times.
The First Rule Of Entering
A Feeling of Home
Moving around the house with slippers or socks keeps Bruce’s feet warm while cleaning the floor. He really likes the Plexiglass flooring. When he stands directly on the glass, he is inspired for more improvement ideas to renovate the jetliner.
A Feeling Of Home
Everything He Needs
Though the Boeing 727 doesn’t lack for space, Bruce doesn’t lead a luxury lifestyle. He prefers to sleep on a futon and eats mainly canned foods and cereal. He does cook with a microwave and toaster while constructing equipment that he’s created.
Everything He Needs
Living Modestly
You can see how many possessions Bruce has in his airline home. However, he’s not just being leisurely or recreational. He’s always working hard to renovate the areas of his home, such as the bathroom and other options.
Living Modestly
A Trench and a Shower
The aircraft has two lavatories, and they that work. Still, a great feature of this airplane-turned-house is the shower and plumbing ingenuity that had to go into its construction. Campbell had to dig a trench and lead a well power line to get running water in the plane and electricity to have hot water.
A Trench And A Shower
Feeling Connected
Bruce connected an old meter base to an old power cable and installed new circuit breaker cabinets inside the plane. He then added a water pipe, telecom cable, and PVC duct. This ensures that he can shave and have clean water to brush his teeth.
Feeling Connected
The Cockpit
The Boeing 727’s cockpit has a variety of the original instruments. However, Campbell also chose to transform it into an exciting entertainment area. He enjoys reading here. With so many gadgets there, it’s clear this is one of his favorite areas.
The Cockpit
A House Is a Toy
Bruce says that he’s got a home of toys, in a sense. There are trick floors and doors, various hatches, and he almost has a Star-Trek-style setting. As a tech nerd, he finds it adventurous and fun to live in an airplane.
A House Is A Toy
The Engineer Hard at Work
Campbell stays aboard the plane most of his day to work on his computer. He purposefully built a work station to help him create plans to improve on his home’s design. He truly likes the planning process and says it is quite fun.
The Engineer Hard At Work
Making Sense
Obviously, an engineer’s natural desire is to want to work on and live in his project at the same time. That way, he can always be working and thinking. This is probably the best way of getting a feel for the place and understanding what it takes to make it functional.
Making Sense
Let There Be Light
Of course, Bruce had to create his running water system, but he also chose to fix the lighting on the inside and outside of the plane. He realized that living deep into the forest wasn’t going to be easy, so he feels better knowing his basic amenities are handled.
Let There Be Light
All Lit Up
Bruce’s home is fully functional at night, as well as in the daytime. He never has to worry about power cuts, either. When he wants to work overnight, read, or research things, he can. Plus, he restored the original aircraft’s LED lights. They’re bright and better for the environment.
All Lit Up
Gardening and All
While Bruce wants his airplane’s interior and exterior to look its best, he also cares about the forest in which he lives. Some people tend gardens or mow yards, but he cares for the grass and weeds surrounding his jetliner.
Gardening And All
No Easy Task
Every week, Bruce mows the grass around and under his airplane while plucking away the weeds. He ensures that the space is presentable at all times. This sounds impossible and something of a constant chore, but it never deters him.
No Easy Task
Upcycling Is Best
Why does Bruce feel so strongly about upcycling and converting other aircraft into homes? When asked, he said that it’s very beneficial for the environment. Also, planes are durable and strong, even during a storm or earthquake.
Upcycling Is Best
It’s Airtight
His Boeing 727 can withstand any storm, and it’s also fairly simple to clean and maintain. He believes that this is because they feature sealed pressure canisters, which could last hundreds of years. Bruce hopes that when people see the benefits, others might choose to transform aircraft into homes.
Upcycling Is Best
Helping the Community
In 2018, Bruce chose to work on a larger aircraft house in Japan. This location choice was motivated by many things, but he primarily wanted to help out the local community. Kyushu is frequented by tsunamis, and he wants this to be a safe place.
Helping The Community
From Flight to Home
Though it might seem strange to peek through the forest trees and see a pristine jetliner, that’s what you get when you go to Hillsboro, Oregon. Though it was originally designed to transport 149-189 people, it now serves as home to Bruce Campbell.
From Flight To Home
