Tin Goose landing: Historic Tri-Motor aircraft pays a visit to Wayne County, offered rides
WOOSTER − The plane that revolutionized air travel visited the Wayne County Airport and offered rides high above the county.
The Ford Tri-Motor airplane, also known as the Tin Goose, was the first airliner that could fly passengers over long distances safely and safely and comfortably. The Tri-Motor became the backbone of the commercial aviation industry, carrying passengers to destinations worldwide.
“It is amazing to have this aircraft here,” said Wayne County Airport Manager Matt Long. “It is great to have this piece of aviation history here for the community to come out, see it, and ride in a plane from the golden age of aviation.”
While the Ford name is closely associated with the automobile industry, the company played an integral role in the first regularly scheduled passenger airline service in the U.S. Introduced during the Roaring Twenties, the Tri-Motor quickly became the preferred plane of air travel. Sporting the first all-metal body, it could carry up to 12 passengers.
The Tri-Motor featured an advanced cockpit design with modern instrumentation and controls. Pilots benefited from improved visibility and ease of operation, which enhanced their flying experience and contributed to safer flights.
Another notable achievement of the Tri-Motor was its contribution to the mail service. It could travel long distances and deliver goods to remote locations much faster than ground transport.
“Flying in this plane is a much different experience,” Long said. “You just don’t get in and sit upright. it is a tail-dragger, so when you get in and sit down, you are leaning backward until the plane takes off and gets in the air.”
Long said he schedules the craft to visit the Wayne County Airport every four years.
“People absolutely love it,” he continued. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many.”
With three powerful engines, the craft could power through weather conditions that would leave other planes of the era grounded. This made the aircraft the apparent choice for pilots and budding airlines.
While outdated by today’s standards, the Ford Tri-Motor left a lasting impression on airplane design and air travel. With a long list of aviation firsts to its credit, possibly the most important was its contribution during World War 2, providing troop movement, medical evacuation, cargo delivery, and other mission-critical support services.
Retired commercial pilot Gary Baker recently became certified to fly the Tri-Motor.
“This plane requires you to constantly fly the plane,” he said. “It was built in the late 1920s; they didn’t even know how to spell autopilot at that time. Back then, aircraft designers were just learning about aircraft stability. I really took a step back in time learning how to fly this aircraft. You don’t sleep on this plane; you are constantly working (the controls).”
According to Baker, the reliability that was built into a plane with three engines is still present in modern aircraft.“If you lose one engine, you can still fly,” he said. “If you lost two engines, the third would get you to a landing spot.”
Dan Starcher is the Public Communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County Airport hosts Ford Tri-Motor airplane, aka Tin Goose
