When it comes to small home designs, this project is pretty flying.
Mark Pankey, originally from Louisiana, worked as an airline pilot for Southwest Airlines for seven years after leaving the military.
However, when Covid struck, he decided to take a different flight path and turn to housing.
Longing for a more nomadic lifestyle, Pankey bought a Southwest Airlines airplane catering truck at auction for $3,300.
He then turned it into a working home with a queen bed, composting toilet, heated floors, shower, kitchen and even an artificial grass backyard.
Mark Pankey worked as an airline pilot for Southwest Airlines for seven years. However, when Covid struck, he decided to turn to house building
Pankey acquired a Southwest Airlines airplane catering truck at auction for $3,300 and set about converting it into a working home
Pankey footage shows the truck was just a shell at first, but gradually began to look more like a home
After transporting the 28.5-foot vehicle home, it took seven months to convert the truck into a livable space
Interior additions by the craftsman included wood paneling, a loft bed, spotlights, a bathroom, a kitchen with shelving, and a cooktop
One home comfort he couldn’t live without was a fridge and freezer unit, which he bought from a yacht outfitting company
In an interview with the popular Tiny House Giant Journey YouTube channel, Pankey shows viewers his truck conversion.
He explains that the most unusual thing about the vehicle is that it has a Hi-Lift hydraulic jack, meaning it can extend 17 feet up for some prime views.
When it comes to the total cost of furnishing his tiny home, Pankey says he spent about $30,000, including the initial layout for the truck.
After transporting the 28.5-foot vehicle home, it took seven months to convert the unit into a livable space.
On his approach to his ambitious DIY project, the aviator said, “I knew what I wanted to do, I had a plan and I was just ready to execute it.”
Pankey footage shows the truck was just a shell at first, but gradually began to look more like a home.
Interior additions by the craftsman included wood paneling, a loft bed, spotlights, a bathroom, a kitchen with shelving, and a cooktop.
Two other home amenities he couldn’t live without were a decent-sized fridge and freezer unit, which he bought from a yacht outfitting company, and a small wood-burning stove.
And while smaller RVs have cramped showers, Pankey said a large shower was a “must have,” and he opted for one designed for a brick-and-mortar home.
Then he easily fitted it to his truck’s plumbing.
When he’s not biking across the country, stopping at national parks along the way, Pankey occasionally takes on a pilot’s shift to keep up his hours
The bathroom is equipped with a composting toilet and a full shower
To be as self-sufficient as possible, the pilot made sure the truck had a sloping roof to allow rainwater to drain into a filter unit for drinking
This is Pankey’s closet. The pilot has been living happily in his tiny home, nicknamed SnakPak, since September 2020 and has sold other properties he owned in Colorado
Pankey turned his attention to the exterior and installed a variety of useful features, including a mountain bike holder, an outdoor shower, and a security system
To prevent items from rolling around in the kitchen on the go, Pankey has developed a number of innovative techniques.
He placed metal strips on the kitchen shelves and magnets on the bottoms of glasses and mugs, while strings help hold plates and bowls in place.
To give the feeling of more space, he increased the truck’s height by two feet and added windows.
On the energy front, Pankey outfitted the vehicle with a generator and installed three large solar panels on the roof capable of generating 12,000 watts.
The pilot turned his attention to the exterior and installed a variety of useful features, including a mountain bike holder, an outdoor shower, a security system, and an ice pick as his front door handle.
To be as self-sufficient as possible, the pilot made sure the truck had a sloping roof to allow rainwater to drain into a filter unit for drinking.
Above the truck’s cab is a platform that was originally used to easily wheel catering supplies onto airplanes.
Pankey kept the platform and decided to turn it into a “backyard”.
He decked it out with artificial grass, chairs, an opening table, outdoor speakers, and a large grill.
“This is my chill zone, this is where I come to relax and enjoy nature,” he says of the space.
Above the truck’s cab is a platform that was originally used to easily roll catering supplies onto airplanes. Pankey turned it into a ‘backyard’
Another feature of the truck that Pankey kept was the cheeky side banner from his airport days that read, “Snacks are on me.”
Pankey sums up his laid-back nomadic lifestyle: “I’ll make coffee and sit on my patio and just enjoy just looking out.”
On the energy front, Pankey outfitted the vehicle with a generator and installed three large solar panels on the roof capable of generating 12,000 watts
Pankey says, “The feeling of waking up and having nowhere to be and no stress is the most liberating thing in the world”
Another feature of the truck that Pankey kept was the cheeky side banner from his airport days that read, “The snacks are on me.”
However, the Southwest name and heart logo had to be removed due to company policy.
Following the aviation theme, Pankey finished the truck with a “combat gray” paint job, as he used to fly fighter jets in the Air Force.
The pilot has been living happily in his tiny home, nicknamed SnakPak, since September 2020 and has sold other properties he owned in Colorado.
He also has a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck that he tows and uses to run everyday errands.
When he’s not biking across the country, stopping at national parks along the way, Pankey occasionally takes on a pilot’s shift to keep up his hours.
After showing the camera crew around his home, Pankey concludes, “The feeling of waking up and having nowhere to be and no stress is the most liberating thing in the world.
“This is heaven, I’m in heaven right now. I wake up in my bed in the middle of nowhere and I hear the wind blowing. I’ll make myself a coffee and sit on my patio and just enjoy just looking out.”
Follow Mark Pankey’s tiny home truck adventures on Instagram.