So much is “eyeballed” and reliant on the judgement of the person doing the work. Hand crafting is one thing but for uniformity and consistency it takes either good templates or robotics. (Owner of a 22FB Bambi)
Yep, glad they don’t make cars or planes. Quality control has tanked. Get your act together Airstream. I want to get a new 23cb FC but too many complaints on the forums from product to customer service issues.
I'm a little shocked the rivets being used aren't being installed with sealant. Maybe I'm missing this step but this is the way we install them on airplanes to prevent corrosion. I do love the design and structure and no doubt these things are built to last.
Hello, I love the airstream-design. Thanks for the insight of the production process. I am surprised by the hell of noise and the amount of personal handcraft. I wonder, if there is a lot of potential for productivity improvement and precision.
Toyish, that’s so incorrect. With other trailers looking like a mobile home, how could this work of art be called toyish, being FAR better made by every standard? Envy, I’d wager.
Lisa, not at all. I agree that Airstreams look absolutely beautiful they have however the very same components that all the other RVs use. That allone is a problem. Then you add production methods from the 70th and you have a product with quality problems. I am sure the beauty of it makes you forget the problems.
Question. My buddy bought your 27' Airstream and it's leaking. The recent rain storms here in California so that it was leaking above the bed. My question is seeing that it goes through the rain tester at Airstream how did Airstream not find this problem? He hasn't even taken it out yet. Brand new delivered to his driveway by dealer. Still sitting there. How?
Same with my 2022 27’ Globetrotter , Rain on Vancouver Island is a given but within 2 months of owning it it leaked around bed windows first then a month later it began leaking from a puck light above my dinette table. And I too have not taken it out on the road yet. Very disappointed ☹️ An onsite contract repair guy found an area where the rivets seemed to be bucking up at the front of the trailer and sealed it. The leak in the rear seemed to be coming from the back up camera and how it was mounted. The cabinet inside was at 94% moisture . I am very concerned now about mold or mildew . I 100% agree how it is possible these significant leaks were not detected. I do still love my Airstream though.
How can we get AS to release a classic trim level 23CB bunk??? I have a 2022 model and so wish I could have had the option to enjoy all the classic features in a size that fits my needs. I would gladly have paid the price increase.
9:30 Even to cut / adjust opening for the window is long manual process, not automated with robotic aluminum cutting/welding machines (or at least some single use plastic film template) used by aircraft fuselage assembly lines today to save time and cost.
Watch closely how these are put together….flimsy, fragile, thin wood floor. Watch a worker simply stepping on the aluminum and folding it up. Blood poop will dent this thing. I have been looking at buying a flying cloud….ouch. May be looking at an Oliver.
Overall this is the greatest product. It feels sad that it's very very very expensive and supply is very very very limited in 21 century. (Imagine: Apple iPhone produced at the cost of $10 000 ea in quantity of 10 000 units per year or less?)
It is a manufacturer, machinery, air tools. 100 decibals or more. Even with hearing protection it does damage over the years. Been through the old buildings a few times, haven't been in the new building since it was completed.
First of all I love the brand and look of the classic airstream. But what a horribly inefficient assembly process. They could really church that whole process up. Great video btw.
Thanks for the nice video. Airstreams are ok, but greatly greatly overrated IMHO. Have been in a number of them. Very Toyish. Will probably get some ugly replies from the Airstream Tribe, LOL oh well. Be Blessed Jerry!!
1:13 why still use some plywood on the floor as a critical structural element? I see 1000s of older 60-70s beautiful Airstreams ruined because of small water leak and wood deteriorated. Make it same aluminum structure or at least waterproof with 'redguard' or better product top both sides or even better use some plastic composite floor materials. this is just the weakest element of the design currently require separation and re-attachment, replacing damaged wood structure.
A real shame for such an icon to be produced like that. Airstream could be a real quality product with modern automation concepts applied. Currently they are the opposite and far away from high quality. A bunch of "dudes" just cutting and drilling. Awful to watch...
Have either of you actually built anything? You want full automation and fit and finish of a Lexus, are you prepared to pay seven times the current cost? Building travel trailers even the cheap ones, automation would be difficult. The varying sizes depend on the order specs ,it is not a one size fits all. For each trailer built the automation would have to be reprogrammed. Having worked in the automotive industry and built funeral cars, automation is almost impossible, there are to many variables.
@Craig Wiess I have built a lot of things. I am a tool maker by trade and work in Automation for many years. The cost will certainly go down. The amount of variants is also manageable but most importantly quality will improve. It won't make sense to automate everything but it doesn't make sense to have dudes with jigsaws cut the aluminum shell of an airstream. I would 100% automate all the frame and skin work to have a great foundation for the manual final assembly.
@@marckruse2181 since you don't know the difference between a jigsaw and shears. Get out on a factory floor get your hands dirty for a few years. Been around to many engineers, or some fresh out of college kid that thinks they know how to make things better. The truth bites them on the ass very quickly. One instance we had to save a efficiency experts life, trying to telll us how to do a stack up on a holding furnace. Idiot walked out onto the furnace to lecture everyone, his shoes started to melt. Have had engineers design a part swear it will work better than the parts we have been modifying to fit. Part he designed was worthless. Have had one engineer that was good, she came down to the line got everyone's input, seen what we had to do. When you get into custom building, best way to do it is by hand. When it comes to running the same item constantly automation is the way to go. Airstream trailers are more individualized than a car, you would need a line for each model made. As it is one line start to finish can make every model.
