No matter of age, everybody has a longing for airplanes.
There is a tour that you can see the airplane up close.

ALL Nippon Airways open up their airplane maintenance center to public. It is a factory that puts the airplane in good condition and repairs. You can see the Boeing747 and Boeing777 being maintained. The reservation can be made six months earlier but since it is a popular tour, it will be filled fast

This time, I made reservation on July and finally it has become the awaited date, December 1st.
The meeting place is located in the new maintenance area of Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport), ANA Airplane Maintenance Center.

ANA Airplane Maintenance Center is within 15 minute walk from Tokyo monorail Shinseibijo Station.

At the reception, you receive entrance pass. You can take this pass home later.

The tour is about 90 minute. You listen to the explanation of the order of maintenance and watch a video for the first half. You get to see it with your eyes.

First there was an explanation about the job of maintaining, and job of the staff such as pilot, CA, staff on land, and about machine that are used.

There was a quiz about airplane and if you get it right, you got eraser and clear file.

There were the glass of cockpit and light that is attached to the end of the wings being displayed in the meeting room.

The outer wall made from duralumin and carbon fiber compound was displayed too. ANA is the launch customer for the new generation plane model B787. Its outer wall is made from carbon fiber compound. The material was being displayed to compare with the older one. The new material was thinner and lighter. Due to this change, the window become wider and the fuel efficiency rises.

B787 has many troubles so the delivery to ANA is being delayed. Let’s wait for the day it will fly the sky of Japan and of course the world.

After the lecture is the actual tour of the factory. We were divided into two groups because of the number. In order to prevent danger, helmet is a must for the tour.

ANA owns a huge space for hunger. Seven planes can be stored in the space at the same time. There is no air conditioning equipment in the hunger, therefore, it will be very hot in summer and very cold in winter.
On the day we go through, three airplanes, B747, B777, B767, were under maintenance.

B777-300 was right in front of us when we entered.

Since it was parked from the nose, we were able to see the cockpit well. They were maintaining the engine.

The one next to it was B767-300 and it is a new model.

Since this plane was parked from the back, we were able to see the fin well.

The last one is B747-400. However, the plane was covered with working ladder so unfortunately it was difficult to see the whole plane.

We were able to see B747 that will soon retire. They were servicing the engine and the wing.

We were able to see many things at the first floor of the hangar.

This machine that looks like a pyramid is used to jack up the plane. The size differ depending on the place to support.

This is a tricycle that the maintenance men ride to move around. They used tricycle instead of bicycle so that they will not drop things.

This is the engine of B747. The cover is opened to do the maintenance.

Everyone is listening carefully to the tour guide.

Luckily, the gate of hangar opened so I was able to see A runway. I saw the airplane landing too. The landing was dynamic.

Outside there was Airbus320.

Do you see the difference in the tail between B777 and B767? B777 has an edgey tail and B767 has rounded one.

The tour is over seeing B777-300. The time flew by.

In this factory, people were in extra care about security. I realized that we can fly the air safely thanks to the member of the ground crew.

Lastly, we go back to the reception and break up.

There is a ANA goods shop so buying souvenir is nice.

I bought soda that is only sold here, “Flying Ramune”.

There is not many chance of seeing the airplane up this close. You can take picture so how about going to ANA Airplane Maintenance Center with camera in hand?

ANA Airplane Factory Tour
https://www.ana.co.jp/cp/kengaku/

ANA Airplane Maintenance Center
3-5-4 Haneda Kuko, Ota-ku, Tokyo 144-0041
Open Hours：9：30-17：00, Monday to Friday (closed on holidays and New Year Holidays)