Ride the Famous Ford Tri-Motor Airplane this Weekend at Put-in-Bay

The famous Ford Tri=Motor airplane returns to Put-in-Bay Airport (3W2) this Friday through Sunday, 4-6 August 2023.  Flights are arranged by Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The organization “offers the fun and camaraderie of participating . . . with the most passionate community of aviation enthusiasts.”

Flights run continuously throughout the day Friday through Sunday 9am,-5pm. Please check-in with our crew onsite as early as possible on the day you wish to fly. Contact a Membership Services Representative at 1-800-359-6217 with any questions.  All ticket proceeds support the Experimental Aircraft Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing The Spirit of Aviation with everyone.

According to the Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation, “In 1926, The Stout Metal Aircraft Division of the Ford Motor Company produced the Ford Tri-Motor, the first all-metal passenger airliner in the world. Often referred to as the “Tin Goose” or “Flying Washboard”, it was the aircraft specifically created to carry passengers rather the mail, with a seating capacity up to 14 passengers. As the name implies, the airplane was powered by three radial engines, which provided for unsurpassed safety and reliability, while at the same time flying higher and faster than other airplanes of the same time period.

The Ford Tri-Motor formed the backbone of many of the fledgling air service companies that would become the world’s most successful airlines. Eastern Airlines, TWA, Continental, and Aero Mexico are but a few of the airlines that credit there start to the venerable Ford Tri-Motor. In addition, it was a Ford Tri-Motor, piloted by Berndt Balehen, which was used in the first flight over the South Pole in November of 1929.”