The “Mothership” Tour

A favorite (if not THE favorite) activity at Alumapalooza has to be the Airstream factory tour.

Led by a long-time employee of Airstream, the 3/4 mile tour through the factory is fascinating, and the process involved to build each and every aluminum Airstream trailer is eye-opening. Every unit is built by hand (with the exception of the automatic router that cuts windows and doors from a pattern).

Watch and learn as trailers in various stages of assembly pass through specialized workstations where plumbing, furniture and lighting is installed, rivets are bucked into the aluminum paneling, units are checked for leaks, and finally furnished, decorated, and affixed with insignia.

Many attendees schedule maintenance at the Airstream Service Center while at Alumapalooza, offering a chance to have repairs made by the best in the business, right there at the factory where your unit was likely built.

You’ll have fun at the air conditioned service center; it’s furnished with sofas and counters and tables made from real Airstream panels and components, and it’s a place to meet other owners and shop in the “Wally Byam” store for collectibles and gear. Your dog is welcome, too!

See photos of the factory and the assembly process at Airstream.com and this new slideshow online.