This legendary Ford Trimotor, the first American built airliner to ever turn a profit for its operators, arrives today at the War Eagles Air Museum (“WEAM”), Santa Teresa International Jet Port. It’s being sponsored by WEAM and the locally based Experimental Aircraft Association (“EAA”) Chapter 1570. Proceeds from the event go to help fund the chapter’s and Museum’s John and Betty MacGuire Youth Aviation Training Scholarship Fund, which finances flight training for young men and women between the ages of 16 and 22. The MacGuires are the founders of both WEAM and the Jet Port itself. Rides may be booked in advance at the following prices:
Adults $70, Children up to 17 $50; and the walk up or no reservation prices are only five dollars more. Rides are given today beginning at 2:00 PM through 5:00 PM or Friday, Saturday and Sundays between 9:00 AM and 5 PM daily.
More information may be obtained by going to FLYTHEFORD.ORG and reservations are made by calling 1-877-952-5395.
Cross This Exiting Adventure Off Your Bucket List Today!
This airplane broke numerous records and set many new benchmarks of innovation in its heyday. It was the first American Designed and built airliner to make a profit for its operators and was an all metal airplane with uniquely corrugated aluminum sheeting over both its monocoque structured cantilever wings (without the usual strut bracing common in the era) as well as over its fuselage. It had comfortable seats inside the attractively well furnished and commodious interior cabin, where passengers enjoyed the passing panorama below them through large picture-sized windows, unlike the comparatively small windows experienced in today’s modern jet liners.
The weather forecast for this weekend’s aviation experience is for sunny warm and breezy, or otherwise, for pleasant flying conditions. A number of the EAA Chapter members are also active members of the FASF as is the War Eagles Museum, which, under the leadership of Bob Dockendorf, has been an active business member since the FASF’s earliest days.
Above is another short (3:32) video of the TriMotor in action.
Below, is a very short (only about a minute 25 seconds in length) video reproduction of an old 1941 Newsreel taken of the TriMotor doing loops, as its famous aerobatic pilot, Harold Johnson, puts it through the sort of maneuvers otherwise the restricted domain of much smaller and specially designed stunt planes. It was taken in Miami, Florida and was attended by the recently abdicated King of England, the Duke and and his American wife, the Duchess of Windsor, both of whom were special honored guests at the airshow. We include this short clip just so you can believe the incredible stunts, including a “tail spin,” of which this large (for its day) airliner proved capable. While the newsreel audio may leave a bit to be desired, the actual movie proved Captain Johnson’s exceptional skill, as well as the strength in the Ford ship’s overall design.