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Tour of the Airstream Factory- Where Adventure Is Created and the Rubber Meets The Road

belindaodell

Airstream provides free tours at 1 PM Mon- Fri at their factory in Jackson Center, Ohio. Reservations are required . They even offer a first come campground on the property complete with water, electricity, and a dump station for $20 a night.


The new, ‘Mothership’, Airstream factory, containing 750,000 square feet opened in 2019 after outgrowing their previous location close by. In addition to providing a detailed one- hour tour of the plant, it also has a gift store, coffee shop, and a museum with many of the older models refurbished to look like originals.

Beautiful woodwork!!

Photos were not allowed to be taken in the manufacture portion of the factory, but photos were allowed in the museum.


The 70’s model with Harvest gold interior😳


Wally Byam built his first Airstream in 1929 and started the Airstream factory in 1931. His original Airstream was restored and displayed in the museum. Original heaters, stoves, and woodwork were used to restore the Airstreams. Older units had more kitchen space and small bathrooms. Newer models had less kitchen space and bigger bathrooms. That’s just one of the signs that tell how our culture has changed over the years. The design of the older models with its sleek pointed end looked very unique.

The 3 pictures above show an Airstream revised for funerals that included a place for guests, the casket, and even a place for flowers. Sales were low in 1979 , so alternative versions of Airstreams were produced for businesses.


The tour of the factory was very well done. No photos were allowed. We were provided with safety glasses and earbuds with a listening device to hear the guide over the noise in the factory. The ‘Mothership’ was pristine, with different compartments for each job. Once framed, the Airstreams move to each section to be completed. They even put each airstream in a room that simulates heavy rain to check for leaks. If any leaks are found, it is repaired in the rain room to continue inspection until no leaks are found. The flow of the assembly line was amazing with each person completing his/ her task.


With the perfection of the machines comes some degree of imperfection of assembly because none of us are perfect. About 5% of Airstreams show an imperfection that forces them to the ‘trauma’ area for repair after the final inspection. This could be as slight as a scratch or as significant as needing a panel replaced. Many inspections are performed along the assembly line and after completion to insure every Airstream meets the highest quality of standard before it is sent out the door to Airstream dealers for us to enjoy the adventures of a lifetime!


Airstream chose the farm country in Ohio to offer employment to farmers and workhours (6-4) to allow employees to farm and engage im outdoor activities. They provide a cafeteria and medical services on site, making it a very desirable place to work.


I recommend this tour if you are interested in purchasing an Airstream or if you are one of the fortunate owners of the silver bullet.


Next stop- West Virginia, where we hope to view some pretty Fall foilage, another gift of God’s creations.

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