By Gary Pitts
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-988348.mp3
Paducah, KY – It's not every day that you get to ride on a plane built in 1929. Or one that was built by Ford for that matter. But earlier this week in Paducah, plane enthusiasts received a treat as the Experimental Aircraft Association brought a vintage 1929 Ford Tri-motor to Barkley Regional Airport. Gary Pitts looked into the plane's extensive history, spoke with pilots who fly it, and even took a ride.
The classic aircraft from the early days of commercial air travel re-created those days from the past.
"This airplane allows people to experience true living history of aviation, as well as learn more about EAA and our mission to help people fully participate in the world of flight," says Rod Hightower, EAA president. "As we bring the airplane to this region of the country, thousands of people will get a rare glimpse of a unique flying machine that changed the way people travel in America."
The Ford Tri-Motor, nicknamed the "Tin Goose," was built by the Ford Motor Company in the late 1920s. EAA's airplane underwent a 12-year restoration beginning in the 1970s and since the mid-1980s, has been based at the EAA AirVenture Museum's historic Pioneer Airport located in Oshkosh, Wis. This facility is a faithful re-creation of an early aerodrome, including flying activities from a 2,000-foot grass airstrip.
Click here to find out more about EAA planes and tours.