"I transformed an abandoned plane into a dream home"

From defunct fuselage to fabulous home

Despite knowing nothing about planes, entrepreneur and university lecturer, Steven Northam, decided to buy a 1960s Boeing 737-200 on eBay and convert it into a super-cool Airbnb rental.

From how he found the abandoned aircraft, to the various stages of the mammoth renovation, Steven talks us through how he took the plane from defunct fuselage to fabulous home and shares his tips for anyone looking to undertake their own unique conversion scheme.

Read on to take flight...

Origins of an idea

So, where did it all begin for Steven? Well, over the years Steven, aged 39, has operated a diverse portfolio of companies, describing himself as a "serial entrepreneur". In 2022, he decided to sell his main company and afterwards, found himself with a lot of spare time on his hands – something that he definitely wasn't used to.

Although not looking for a new project, during an eBay browsing session, Steven stumbled across an abandoned Boeing 737-200 fuselage and immediately began brainstorming. “I saw it as a quirky business opportunity, so I decided to place a bid without actually seeing it in person," he explains. Steven paid £5,000 ($6.5k) for the aircraft, with the idea of turning it into an Airbnb.

A rich history

Built in 1968, the plane was originally part of the United Airlines fleet and took its last flight in 2002, with Air Mediterranean. It was decommissioned and broken apart in October 2006, with the front fuselage section relocated to Chichester College, where it was used for cabin crew training.

Steven purchased the plane from the college in November 2021, but the hard part was still to come. He needed to figure out how to transport the vehicle from Chichester in West Sussex to his land in Winchester, Hampshire – a 40-mile (64km) journey. "The main thing that needed some research was the logistics of moving half a plane – not something you see every day going down the motorway," he says.

A big task

For the task, Steven hired a professional haulage firm, who craned the fuselage onto the back of a lorry. “The move took almost three months,” Steven says. This image shows the half-plane when it arrived on Steven's land.

The Boeing 737-200 had been left abandoned for more than a decade, so it was in a fairly sorry state. "It had been sat outside for 15 years, so it was dirty and rusty," he said. "It needed a bit of work." By "a bit of work," Steven means it required a complete overhaul, both outside and in, and with no prior experience with planes, he certainly had his work cut out for him.

Getting stuck in

This image shows how the interior of the plane looked when Steven got his hands on it. The first job was to strip out most of the seats, to make room for creating the living spaces and beds. "I also needed to reinforce the floor, to ensure its structural stability," Steven says.

Steven began the extensive conversion project in July 2022, working on it solidly almost every day. "The work took three months and I did the whole thing single-handed," he says.

From vacant to valuable

Once the seats were removed, the fuselage was a large, vacant space that needed to be sectioned up to create all the different living spaces – including a kitchenette, a sitting area (with a dining table) and multiple beds. Steven did this by building stud walls to segment the space up.

Steven admits that the hardest part of the process was fitting out a space without any straight edges. "Everything is curved, in every direction, so lots of measuring and adjusting was needed to slot things in," he says.

Retaining key details

This image shows the plane mid-way through the conversion, with new carpets and stud walls in place. Of course, Steven was keen to retain as many of the plane's original features as possible, including some passenger seats and seatbelts, overhead storage lockers and the original bathroom.

"I didn't want to strip everything out and render the plane unrecognisable," Steven says. "I definitely wanted it to look and feel like a plane, and retain its character and history where possible".

Home comforts

Taking a very hands-on approach, Steven did everything himself, including getting everything wired and plumbed in so that the home would have working lighting, hot water, high-speed Wi-Fi, smart TVs and even games consoles.

He also installed a modern heat pump and air-conditioning unit, to keep the interior at a comfortable temperature all year round.

Everyday essentials

Although not very glamourous, the plane's bathroom needed to be attached to a sewage system for waste disposal. Steven had to hire a digger and excavate a large hole close to the plane, to bury this huge tank in the ground. "There was some creative waste drainage engineering, but I got the toilet, shower and kitchen fully working," Steven says.

TV appearance

The conversion was completed in September 2022 and the project appeared on Series 11 of British TV show George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, which aired in the spring of 2023.

"It was great fun all round doing the show. There's a really awesome team behind the scenes and George is just as he seems on TV – a really good laugh!"

Tackling the exterior

Of course, it wasn't just the interior that needed work. Steven also had to paint the exterior of the plane. "I had to use a boom lift to tackle the exterior," Steven says.

Refreshing the entire plane, including transportation fees, Steven spent around £20,000 ($26.1k). So, are you ready to see the finished plane conversion?

Ready to take flight

This image shows the incredible plane conversion. From rusty and abandoned fuselage to a stylish and cosy home, Steven achieved something truly remarkable in a matter of months.

From the outside, the plane looks like it has just touched down after a flight, with a huge jet engine sitting next to it, which only adds to the plane's character.

A special entrance

A set of restored aircraft stairs are connected to the plane, allowing access for lucky Airbnb guests. "I painted the stairs and installed automatic lighting so that there would be no issues with seeing in the dark," Steven says.

Beautifully modified

The stairs lead up to the original plane door, which opens into the cosy, 269-square-foot (25sqm) interior. In the front section, you'll find a single bed and a drinks trolley – the perfect welcome.

In-flight entertainment

Beyond the immediate entrance, you'll find another bed and a snug sitting area, kitted out with the original aeroplane seats, which really add to the home's character.

Two original plane TV screens sit opposite the seats, allowing guests to watch in-flight movies while they relax or dine.

A quirky kitchen

The kitchen might be small, but it has everything a visitor could need to prepare meals over the course of a few days. The kitchen benefits from a sink, a refrigerator and ample storage. One of the plane's original emergency exit doors decorates the space.

Cool and comfortable

This sleeping space is super-cool, thanks to the original windows, overhead lights and lockers. There's also a large flat-screen TV, so guests can curl up and watch something from the comfort of their sheets.

The tiny home can accommodate four people in total.

Quirky details

One of the plane home's best features has to be this glass floor. The window sits in the centre of the plane's aisle and allows anyone above to look down into the cargo hold. A staircase to the right connects the main floor with the space below.

"I'm really proud of the main cabin area, it's pretty cool; the glass floor, stairs to the baggage hold, lots of the quirky little features," Steven says.

Cargo hold bedroom

Of course, when looking into the cargo hold, guests won't be looking at luggage. That's because Steven has transformed the area into a cosy bedroom.

Complete with a double bed, bean bag chairs and a media centre with a TV, it's the perfect snug space for relaxing, sleeping or simply taking in the plane's character.

Taking flight

No converted plane would be complete without a flight simulator, would it? Steven has set one up in the original cockpit, so all guests of his Airbnb can have the opportunity to virtually fly the plane around the world.

A fun touch, this is just one of the cool extras that Steven has added to make the property a truly unforgettable experience for his guests...

Added extras

That's right, there's even an amazing outdoor hot tub – and it's no ordinary one, either. The Jacuzzi was created out of an old jet engine hood.

Plus, Steven is also building a playground next to the plane, to keep guests' children entertained.

Words of wisdom

Of course, we had to ask Steven for his advice for anyone looking to undertake a conversion project like this, and he had some excellent words of wisdom to share. "Taking on a scheme like this might seem scary, but the renovation work is fairly standard," he says.

"The important part to consider is getting your head around the world of planning permission – it's not every day that someone puts half a plane in their garden, so it did create a range of interesting hurdles to overcome".

Planning predicament

Now the plane is finished, Steven can't wait to welcome his first guests. However, he just has to wait for the work to be signed off by the local planning department before he can list the plane on Airbnb.

"Currently I'm ticking off the planning permission conditions, which include landscaping, a waste treatment plant and so on," Steven says. "These are largely all completed now and I just have a few admin tasks left, so I hope to have it listed and open in September 2024."

You can keep an eye on progress via Steven's Instagram page, Marwell Mile High.

What's next for Steven?

Now that his plane Airbnb is almost ready to welcome its first guests, Steven is eager to take on another project. In fact, he's already purchased his next challenge – an old Army truck. "I'm looking to turn this into an armoured camper van," Steven says. "Again, with the plan to Airbnb the space in due course."

"I'll likely park the van next to a converted shipping container with shower and toilet facilities within it, as space in the truck is limited to sleeping really – but again, it's a fun themed space to rent." We don't know about you, but we can't wait to take a tour!