Season Begins in April With Stops Across the USA

Fans of the historic Ford Tri-Motor aircraft have a chance to hitch a ride as it tours through a list of 7 states through the end of July. 

The Experimental Aviation Association's particular Tri-Motor first took flight in August of 1929, beginning life as an airliner in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It came home in the late 40s, where it began a second life as a barnstormer and firefighter. It even made an appearance in two films over the years, one Jerry Lewis feature in 1965, "The Family Jewels", and 2009's "Public Enemies" with Johnny Depp. It retains its vintage Eastern Air Transport insignia, remembering the days of a carrier gone by. The Tri-Motor has remained a classic in the world of aviation, despite a fairly limited production run. From the start of manufacture in 1925 to the last in 1933, 199 aircraft were produced, sporting a 2-row, wood trimmed cabin and distinctive corrugated aluminum body. The Tri-Motor was quite forward thinking for the time, making use of 3 engines for extra safety and redundancy (a concept revisited in later McDonnel Douglas airliners) and easily removed seats for carriers to alternate between pax and cargo ops.

The Tri-Motor will make stops in New Mexico and Texas throughout April, moving on to Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois in May. June will see it pass through Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois again,  with its last stop in Oshkosh. Different tour dates will offer fun times for all, with most stops allowing for about three days of flying. Tickets run $99 for adults and $75 for kids 17 and under. Luckily for passengers, every seat on a Tri-Motor is a window seat! Each flight offers about 30 minutes of total time, with 15 minutes in the air.

FMI: www.FlyTheFord.org