Downsizing? Look to the Skies

Hi, this is Leslie Harris. My youngest kiddo moved out of the house in May, and I have recently been thinking about downsizing, partly because I want less to take care of, and partly because I want to save some money.

I was an ‘airline brat,’ meaning my mom worked for TWA, so I travelled a lot, and I still love flying, and bit of aviation.

I recently read a story about a woman who bought a Boeing 727 airplane and remodeled it into a livable three bedroom home. This happened in the early ’90s.

She had the plane towed to a piece of property that she owned, and spent less than $30,000 on the plane and the remodel, which is about $60,000 in today’s dollars. The plane had fallen off a truck and was damaged beyond repair, and was destined for a scrap yard when she bought it.

She spent about 6 months renovating, mostly working by herself. Not only did she have three bedrooms, but she also had two bathrooms and even a hot tub, where the cockpit had been.

One man has been living in another Boeing 727 for over 20 years in a wooded area, and loves it. He says he would never live in a conventional home. His project cost $220,000, equivalent to $380,000 today. About half of that was used to buy the plane.

I wonder if my cats would enjoy living in a plane.