HILLSBORO (Oregon) - Deep in the rolling hills outside the suburbs
of Portland, a Boeing 727 seems to have landed at the top of a
steep dirt driveway encircled by towering pines.
For Mr Bruce Campbell, 64, it is home.
Complete with wings and landing gear, it is where he spends half
the year. In 1999, the former electrical engineer had a vision: to
save retired jetliners from becoming scrap metal by reusing
them.
He sees the task as part of his goal in life. "Mine is to change
humanity's behaviour in this little niche," he said as he stood
beside the plane.
On board, he sleeps on a futon, bathes in a makeshift shower and
cooks with a microwave or toaster, eating mostly canned food.
He is among a handful of people worldwide - from Texas to the
Netherlands - who have turned retired planes into a living space or
creative project.
The Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association - an organisation made up
of industry leaders such as Boeing that focus on sustainable
end-of-service practices for airframes and engines - estimates that
1,200 to 1,800 aircraft will be dismantled around the world over
the next three years.
