Dave Billings, a 45-year-old resident of Derbyshire, bought the fuselage of a former Bmibaby Boeing 737-500 for £4,000 (approximately ₹ 5 lakh), according to a report by the BBC. He then used a massive crane to lower the three-tonne aircraft cabin into a 14-foot-deep hole in the garden of his home in Hilton, Derbyshire.
Billings plans to transform the aircraft into an underground entertainment space, which will eventually connect to an existing underground room beneath his garden, as per the outlet.
However, Billings remained determined to go ahead with the project. (Also Read: UK firefighters attacked with fireworks while trying to put out blaze ) One of Billings’ biggest challenges was figuring out how to transport the aircraft. Fortunately, another friend offered to help load the aircraft, allowing the ambitious project to move forward. Five volunteers assisted with the operation, along with the crane operators. The entire process was documented from multiple angles, including footage captured using a GoPro-style camera attached to the crane. Billings, who runs storage and fabrication businesses, also used a 3D printer to create a scale model showing how the aircraft would connect to his existing underground room. “It was massive. I thought it’s such a good room size. However, he admitted that the cabin would not be wide enough to accommodate a pool table. He also plans to apply for retrospective planning permission for the project and hopes to complete the underground space by February. The aircraft itself has an interesting history.
However, his 7-year-old son was enthusiastic about the purchase. On October 20, Billings used a large crane to lower the aircraft fuselage into the hole in his garden, according to the BBC. Sometimes things are too narrow, but the plane width is absolutely perfect,” he said. (Also Read: UK civil servant who held 5 government jobs simultaneously found guilty of fraud ) Billings hopes to transform the buried aircraft into a recreational space, potentially featuring gaming machines and other entertainment facilities. Built in 1993, the Boeing 737-500 previously carried holidaymakers from East Midlands Airport to destinations including Alicante, Malaga and Faro. It made its final flight in 2013.
When he shared the idea with a friend, the response was less than encouraging, with the friend describing it as “silly”. “He says, ‘dad, you’ve got to buy that’. I’m like ‘OK’,” Billings said. His wife, Beth, was initially sceptical too, questioning why he wanted to buy “a pile of junk”. “The worst thing if you’re buying a Boeing 737 is how do you go and get it?” he said. Recalling his first impression of the aircraft, he said its actual size was far larger than he had imagined from the online photographs.
