73-year-old pays $370/month to live in a plane he bought for $100,000 from a salvage yard: “I have no regrets”

In Hillsboro, an Oregon suburb of Portland, Bruce Campbell paid $25,800 for 10 acres of land in the early 1970s. The 73-year-old electrical engineer recalls watching an aeroplane graveyard on television when he was 15 years old as the inspiration for his life’s work. He made the choice to want to reside in one.

Campbell made the decision to carry it out in 1999, but he had no idea how to do it, so he hired a salvage company to locate a plane for him. He said “That was a Whopper class mistake. I’ll never do that again. Salvage companies are wreckers”. Campbell also told “I highly recommend just buying a jetliner completely intact and completely functional, except maybe the removal of the engines”.

The company discovered Campbell, a Boeing 727 200-passenger jetliner measuring 1,066 square feet and weighing approximately 70,000 pounds, after months of searching. It was discovered in Greece and is… sort of a part of American history.

In 1975, the plane was used to transport the remains of Aristotle Onassis, the owner of the airline. At the time of his death, the late Greek-Argentine shipping magnate was married to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

The plane was flown from Greece to Oregon so that Campbell could take ownership after paying $100,000 for it. When the plane was prepared, it was towed through Hillsboro’s downtown streets to Campbell’s land. The process involved removing the engines and other parts that render the aircraft incapable of flight. A total of $120,000 was spent.

He said “When you live in a structure like this, you feel a little more fulfilled with your life”, “And if you’re an engineer, scientist, or anyone who appreciates the elegance and beauty of aerospace technology, it’s just a happier place to live”.

He spent approximately $15,000 and two years converting the plane into a home.

Campbell has modified his plane by installing a makeshift bathroom complete with a shower, sink, portable washing machine, refrigerator, and a food service cart salvaged from another aircraft to serve as his pantry.

Campbell has a toaster oven and a microwave in place of a stove, but he hardly ever uses them. He told “I’m a nerd. I don’t cook, so it’s a minimal kitchen area”. Campbell has a futon sofa that doubles as a sleeping area and a workbench next to the kitchen. His monthly expenses are $370, which includes property taxes of $220 per month and electricity costs ranging from $100 to $250 per month.

Campbell now spends his time maintaining various electrical systems on the aircraft, restoring outdated computer systems, and giving visitors tours of his aircraft. He tells, “I have no regrets about pursuing this vision. In my experience with my guests, I believe that humanity will embrace this vision wholeheartedly in enough proportion that we can utilize every jetliner which retires from service”.

Because he spends most of his time in the United States and Japan, he hopes to one day have a plane home there as well. Campbell says “It’s intended to put a home which I love in a land I love and with people I love”, “If I can simply regain my youth, everything will be fine”. [Source: www.cnbc.com]