Woman Transforms Boeing 727 Into Her Dream Home
In the world of creative housing, few stories stand out quite like that of Jo Ann Ussery, a Mississippi woman who turned tragedy into opportunity by making a retired airplane her home.
After her house in Benoit, Mississippi, was destroyed in 1993, Ussery was left with limited resources and few options. Rebuilding a traditional home wasn’t financially possible. That’s when her brother-in-law, an air traffic controller, offered a radical suggestion: why not live in an airplane?
From Wreckage to Wings
Taking his advice to heart, Ussery purchased a retired Boeing 727 for just $2,000. Although the jet had long since been stripped of its aviation glory, she saw potential in its size and structure. With roughly $30,000 in renovations, she converted the 138-foot aircraft into a fully functional home.
The makeover was nothing short of extraordinary. The plane boasted three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, a cozy living room, and even a laundry area.
A Bathroom with a View
One of the most unique features was the cockpit. Instead of removing it, Ussery transformed the pilot’s domain into her personal master bathroom. She installed a soaking tub beneath the wide cockpit windows, describing the feeling of bathing there as if she were floating in the sky.
A Life in Flight, on the Ground
By 1995, the airplane was not just a quirky project—it was her permanent residence. For the next four years, Ussery lived comfortably inside her aviation mansion, enjoying both its practicality and its novelty.
Her bold choice made her a pioneer in alternative housing, inspiring others to rethink what a “home” could be.