Midwest Tour Of 17 Vintage Aircraft Kicks Off This Week

On a mission to relive the golden age of flight, the American Barnstormers Tour kicks off this week in Ames, IA and continues through the end of June. Recreating the excitement of an era when eager pilots after WWI crisscrossed the nation in search of fame and glory by blowing into small communities to spread the thrill of flight to their citizens, the modern American Barnstormers tour hopes to do the same.

"Airplanes were new, and people were fascinated with them," said tour organizer Clay "Pork Chop" Adams. "It became a way for a lot of these people to make a living."

Flying many of the same aircraft that took center stage in the 1920’s, the tour aimed to visit nine cities over 15 days this summer. Unfortunately, the first visit on the schedule -- Iowa City, IA -- had to be scrubbed due to the flooding in the area. Instead the tour will begin on June 15 for an extended visit in Ames, IA.

The tour certainly will give visitors the opportunity to see the aircraft up close on the ground, but additionally each location will afford those same visitors to see the vintage flyers in their natural environment: the sky! Each afternoon the aircraft will take to the skies for the ‘Barnstormers Parade of Flight’ with master of ceremonies, the legendary ‘Mr. Travel Air,’ Frank Rezich. Frank will entertain the crowd with his unique announcing style, telling tall tales of barnstorming enlightening everyone on the history of each biplane as the pilots perform overhead.

For the true barnstorming experience, spectators can even enjoy the thrill of open cockpit flight for themselves aboard a beautifully restored Travel Air or New Standard vintage biplane. Biplane rides will be for sale daily weather permitting.

"These aren’t airplanes, they’re Time Machines," said Adams. "Our tour gives people from all over the country the chance to travel back in time and experience the same sights, sounds, and excitement they would have felt some 80 years ago as they looked out across the fields and saw the Barnstormers on the horizon."

The schedule for the American Barnstormers Tour for June is as follows:

June 15-18  Ames, IA (AMW) 
June 19-20  Council Bluffs, IA (CBF)
June 21-22  Hastings, NE (HSI)
June 23-24  Great Bend, KE (GBD)
June 25-26  Wichita, KS (AAO)
June 27  Emporia, KS (EMP) morning only-refueling
June 27-28  Lee’s Summit, MO (LXT)
June 29-30  Jefferson City, MO (JEF) 

Tour aircraft will be on display from approximately 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at each location, weather permitting. Biplane rides are available for $50.00 per passenger.

FMI: www.americanbarnstormerstour.com