moose135
2013-10-19, 06:54 PM
The EAA 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 at Brookhaven 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.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-tJ3C4mG/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_005-XL.jpg
Yes, that is a C-46 in the background...
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-wxKFwX7/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_004-XL.jpg
Corrugated aluminum skin, control cables routed outside the fuselage!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-R5z5tR6/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_014-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-z8vjqB9/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_009-XL.jpg
This was the second flight of the day departing.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-23dmTw5/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_002-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-VTnzgDk/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_001-XL.jpg
Takeoff!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-FS2dB8Z/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_018-XL.jpg
Climb out from Monroe. That's our shadow behind the wheel.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-bwFVKsz/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_019-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-9fNTP9K/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_021-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-3JLbcts/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_006-XL.jpg
The flight lasted a little more than 10 minutes. We cruised at 90 knots and 1,000 feet, making a big circuit of the area before returning to the airport. The airplane carries 10 passengers, seated in rows of two with a very narrow aisle between seats. I was actually surprised at the noise level - it was loud, but even with the engine right outside the window, I was still able to talk to the passenger sitting next to me. I don't know that I would have wanted to fly cross-country in it, but it was a comfortable ride, and a great experience!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-tJ3C4mG/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_005-XL.jpg
Yes, that is a C-46 in the background...
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-wxKFwX7/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_004-XL.jpg
Corrugated aluminum skin, control cables routed outside the fuselage!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-R5z5tR6/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_014-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-z8vjqB9/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_009-XL.jpg
This was the second flight of the day departing.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-23dmTw5/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_002-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-VTnzgDk/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_001-XL.jpg
Takeoff!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-FS2dB8Z/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_018-XL.jpg
Climb out from Monroe. That's our shadow behind the wheel.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-bwFVKsz/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_019-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-9fNTP9K/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_021-XL.jpg
http://moose135.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Ford-Tri-Motor/i-3JLbcts/0/XL/JM_2013_10_19_Ford_Tri-Motor_006-XL.jpg
The flight lasted a little more than 10 minutes. We cruised at 90 knots and 1,000 feet, making a big circuit of the area before returning to the airport. The airplane carries 10 passengers, seated in rows of two with a very narrow aisle between seats. I was actually surprised at the noise level - it was loud, but even with the engine right outside the window, I was still able to talk to the passenger sitting next to me. I don't know that I would have wanted to fly cross-country in it, but it was a comfortable ride, and a great experience!