The Boeing Co. keeps aviation’s Holy Grail hidden in a Bellevue basement.
That’s where every aircraft Boeing has made, every long-forgotten endeavor and every company employee live forever.
The keeper of those memories is Michael Lombardi, Boeing’s corporate historian.
“There are a few people waiting for me to retire,” Lombardi said with a laugh.
What aviation geek wouldn’t want unrestricted access to the equivalent of Boeing’s vault? Sure, cell phone service in Lombardi’s office is spotty. There are no windows. But Lombardi’s got the best view into Boeing’s past.
It’s here that Boeing keeps treasures like Bill Allen’s gold “Incredibles” hard hat honoring the men and women who built the first Boeing 747. Copies of every Boeing model airplane, even those anchored on ashtrays, fill shelves. A life-size poster of Tex Johnson, the famous Boeing pilot who did a barrel roll over Lake Washington, stands in the entryway.
“I’m blessed I’m in a job that blends all of my interests and talents,” Lombardi said.
He began his career in the mailroom at Boeing in 1979, working his way through school, where he studied history. Over the years, he held various positions — in the library and in finance — at the company. But even from his early days in the mailroom, Lombardi coveted the historian’s position. After 15 years of waiting, Lombardi’s dream job opened up. That was 16 years ago.
“I wear a couple different hats. I talk about history — that’s part of my job. The other part is managing an archive,” he said.
Lombardi has to figure out how to preserve the items that document Boeing’s history. That can mean making tough decisions on what to keep.
Growing up in Renton, it wasn’t tough for Lombardi to get hooked on airplanes. Lombardi’s father encouraged his son’s love of aviation.
Lombardi, 50, also developed a hearty admiration for the space program. His position at Boeing allowed him to meet Neil Armstrong.
“I’ve got the opportunity to meet a lot of my childhood heroes,” Lombardi added.
Surrounded with a seemingly never-ending supply of bits of Boeing history, Lombardi has to be disciplined in his work.
“You could spend days looking at old pictures or newspapers,” he said.
But requests both internally from Boeing and from the public keep Lombardi busy.
Got an unidentifiable part from an old aircraft? Call Lombardi.
Need help restoring an airplane? Call Lombardi.
Want to trace Boeing’s use of computer-assisted design? Call Lombardi.
“It’s like being on ‘Jeopardy’ every day,” he said. (Answer: Yes, game show hosts, museum curators, and schoolteachers all seek out Lombardi’s expertise).
Although Lombardi focuses on the requests that better Boeing, he also tries to make himself and the archive available to the public. He enjoys nurturing children’s interests in aviation.
“As a kid, I wrote a letter to my predecessor asking for pictures,” Lombardi said. His predecessor complied. “So, I always keep that in mind.”
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