1929 Ford Tri-Motor Flight

moose135 · October 19, 2013

The Experimental Aircraft Association was in town this weekend, offering rides in a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor at Monroe Airport just outside of Charlotte. It is one of two that they have been touring with - one which they own, and this one, owned by the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum. I missed them when they were on Long Island earlier this summer, and when I heard about this visit, I immediately booked a flight for this morning. I got to the airport around 8:30 for a 9am flight, but the weather wasn't good this morning - 400 foot ceiling, fog, mist - but the forecast was for improving conditions. Finally around Noon, the ceiling rose, the sun poked through a bit, and they called us for the first flight of the day.

1. Waiting on the weather...

2. Corrugated aluminum skin, and the control cables run outside the fuselage!

3. Cockpit

4. Takeoff!

5. Cruising over Charlotte

6. Second flight of the day departing.

7.

8. Three round engines!

black mamba · October 19, 2013

That's some terrific stuff, John. Nice mix of detail and far-away shots. I'm really attracted to # 4.
Yep, good stuff.

I took a brief ride on one of those Ford Tri-Motors being flown out of St. Augustine....very much like the circumstances you're describing. The strongest memory I have of that experience ( which occurred about 10 years ago ) relates to how loud that plane was. But it was a real thrill to fly in such a piece of history.

Take care, buddy,

Tom

ian408 · October 19, 2013

I can't imagine what it must have been like as a passenger back in the day. Especially considering that any kind of air travel was in its infancy then.

Very cool pictures!