A Trip Back in Time with the Ford Trimotor

Friday, November 11, 2016 at 10:28 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The Ford Trimotor demands an extensive and manual pre-flight inspection, involving physical rotation of propellers, engine checks, and climbing onto the wing to manually dipstick fuel tanks.
Operating the aircraft is characterized by a powerful, noisy takeoff and a stable flight experience, albeit with physically demanding controls, especially the heavy rudder forces required for turns.
Historically, the Trimotor was a robust and versatile workhorse, pioneering early commercial airline travel as both a "bush airplane" and a luxury transport, offering passengers a unique and memorable flight experience.

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“You push that tip up, and I’ll grab this one.”

Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.