TMW - 2-25-2019 at 04:59 PM
A friend of mine came up Sunday and we went to the old airport terminal to take a ride in a 1928 Ford Tri-Motor airplane. It'e called a Tri-Motor
because it has three engines. A company out of Wisconsin tours the country providing rides in the Tri-Motor and a B-17. They may have other planes too
I don't recall.
For $75 we got a 15-20 minutes ride over Bakersfield. The plane holds 11 passengers plus the pilot and co-pilot. Each seat is both an isle and window
seat. Each seat also has a light and air vent. There is a restroom on board too but they don't want it used. The plane cruses at 90mph.
Ford built 199 of these planes from 1928 to 1933. It had a rather short life as a passenger plane due to the Douglas DC-2 in 1934 which was a little
bigger and much faster. It still served as a mail carrier and other jobs. There are only a few still around mostly at museums etc. Only a couple that
can fly. All in all it was a fun time talking with the people that tour with it and getting the history of the plane. There was also a restored 1928
Ford car there.
wessongroup - 2-25-2019 at 05:00 PM
Fatboy - 2-25-2019 at 05:13 PM
Sounds and looks like a lot of fun there....
Those big 'ole radial engines look really neat.
David K - 2-25-2019 at 05:21 PM
Fun!!!
advrider - 2-25-2019 at 05:23 PM
Vary cool, never seen one. The flight of a life time.
Sr.vienes - 2-25-2019 at 05:42 PM
About 1978 I traded a couple of truckloads of gravel to Scenic Airways at the Grand Canyon Airport for a Tri-Motor tour for my pipe crew. I was told
that the two 1929 Tri-Motors had been there since new, the pilot told me he had flown Tri-Motors as a young novice pilot somewhere in the Midwest. It
was a great time and a fond memory and the first airplane ride for two of my crew.
thebajarunner - 2-25-2019 at 08:19 PM
Very cool!!
Got to ride in a P51 Mustang a few years ago
Guy was restoring it over in Hollister, on a budget, and took guys up for a 20 minute spin for $100 to pay for gas
What an amazing ride that was
Went wailing down the runway, lifted off and he rolled it on its back and we climbed out over the hills, looking straight down,
Did a few rolls, one loop and a really hard "stick-it" landing
It was like sitting in an out of balance washing machine but a lifetime experience.
fishbuck - 2-25-2019 at 08:30 PM
He was here a few weeks ago at John Wayne Airport.
General Lyon (Lyon Homes) has a small museum there and they did the rides from it.
Very cool old bird. And it was raining too.
Every break in the clouds he did a ride. Very popular too.
Slow and good for looking out the window.
Fun.
John Harper - 2-26-2019 at 11:04 AM
One of my favorite antique aircraft.
John
basautter - 2-27-2019 at 07:13 PM
Very cool!
