My 11-year-old daughter is an aspiring actress. She has been in theater for years and recently gained representation with a local talent agency. Recently, she had the unbelievable opportunity to take part in a short film. Even cooler, she got to be filmed with her castmates inside an incredible “airplane home” here in Oregon. 

In 1999, a man named Bruce Campbell bought a Boeing 727 for $100,000. Years earlier, he had purchased a plot of land in Hillsboro. After a flight from Greece to Oregon and tremendous towing efforts (through the streets of Downtown Hillsboro!), the plane was relocated onto his land. Bruce was an electrical engineer in his professional life and dreamed of converting the plane into his home. To do this, the engine and other parts had to be removed to ensure the plane would never fly again. Many of the seats were also removed to maximize the inside space. Bruce added the important parts of a home to the plane: shower, kitchen, bathroom, and washing machine. 

Bruce prides himself on living a simple life. He enjoys flexing his electrical engineer muscles by working on old computers. He also enjoys entertaining visitors and constantly welcomes people to the plane site. When we met Bruce, he told us he usually has around 10-30 visitors daily. Many of the visitors are international visitors! On the day of filming, we witnessed around 20 visitors. While we were filming inside, they wandered around outside. 

We were taken aback when we received instructions on how to find the plane home. We were given an address and instructed to find a particular sign on the road and then “walk up a trail for about 5 minutes.” I was a little worried because I could easily get lost in IKEA. Luckily, when we parked on the road, we looked up and saw glimpses of the plane through the trees. We started up a very steep, muddy hill and were met by the most beautiful, tall trees lining the way to the aircraft. It only took about 5 minutes or less to reach the plane. It was definitely a sight to behold when it came into full view.

When we arrived, we had to wait about twenty minutes for the film crew to get set up inside. This gave us time to explore. The first thing we noticed was a ladder leading up to the wing. We climbed up and were able to walk around up there and snap some pictures. It was pretty high off the ground and a little nerve-wracking! After we walked around and marveled a bit, we waited under the wing for the crew to finish up. It was the perfect place to seek refuge from the pouring rain.

Once we finally “boarded” the plane, we were thrilled to see how interesting it was inside. The bathroom was a typical plane bathroom (very small!). There were obvious places for sleep, preparing food, and living quarters. The rest of the plane was filled to the brim with computers, gadgets, nuts and bolts, and all kinds of inventing tools. The cockpit area was a favorite of ours. Bruce invited us to sit down, put on a pilot’s cap, and play with the buttons (some of them). 

The best part of the plane was Bruce himself. I am not exaggerating at all when I say that he is one of the kindest humans I have ever met. He spoke so freely about how much he loves welcoming visitors. He told us to come back and hang out with him anytime, any day. He also told us that his favorite part of the year is Spring because he holds an event called “Concert on the Wing.” The event is just as it sounds: he holds a concert on the wing of the plane! He said the performers vary and are mostly from outside the country. 

For a regular visit, Bruce encourages people to make an appointment via email. His website, Airplanehome.com, has some important visitor information and safety guidelines. Another important thing that Bruce told us is that he spends half of the year in Japan! Because of that, be sure to plan your visit accordingly if your aim is to see the inside of the plane. I cannot recommend the visit enough! Bruce is a lovely human, the airplane home is a sight to remember, and the experience itself is unforgettable.