Production on a grand scale
The numbers are amazing and cannot fail to impress. The biggest building in the world by volume, workplace for 30,000, produces 18,000 meals a day for staff from 20 cafeterias, has six Tulley's Coffee shops, a hospital, fire department, bank, childcare centre and a railway station.
Where?
Boeing's Everett production facility in Washington State, where the world's largest aerospace manufacturer builds 747s, 767s, 777s 787s and the new 777X.
The factory is quite simply a city with a volume of 13.3 million cubic metres and a footprint of 39.8ha.
And that is just the main six- production hall complex.
Outside there are three huge paint hangars and sprawling flight lines where the planes are readied for delivery.
The massive production facility has six doors, each a canvas for artwork depicting the company's planes.
And what a canvas - each door is the size of an American football field. Every day or so those doors open to disgorge yet another giant for the skies.
And some of those planes are being built at record rates.
The venerable 747 and 767 are being constructed at about two a month while the new kids on the block, the 777 and 787, have production rates of eight and 10 a month. At any one time there will be about 30 planes out on the flight line being prepared for delivery for customers across the globe.
Since the building was constructed in the late Sixties, Boeing has built 1498 747s, 1066 767s, 1254 777s and 210 787s.
Some 787s are produced at another facility in South Carolina.
And Boeing has just broken ground on yet another extension to the massive building to house production of the new Boeing 777Xs composite wing.
Boeing started tours of the factory in 1968 when it was building the first 747 and since that time more than 3 million people have gone on the tours.
The Future of Flight Aviation Centre and Boeing Tour is in Mukilteo, 40km north of Seattle.
Public tours are available seven days a week and you can book online.
The tours last 90 minutes but there are restrictions.
No cameras, phones, video cameras or personal items are permitted on the tour. These must all be left at secured lockers.
Children must be at least 122cm tall to go on the tour.
Visitors may not carry babies on the tour and there is no childcare facility at the Future of Flight and Boeing Tour.
While the restrictions are irritating, the tour is worthwhile.
After all - seeing is believing!
Geoffrey Thomas was a guest of Boeing and Qantas. For more, see futureofflight.org
