A Trip Back in Time with the Ford Trimotor

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

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Key Takeaways:

Operating the vintage Ford Trimotor involves a highly manual and physically demanding preflight process, including hand-rotating propellers and climbing on the wing to check fuel levels with a dipstick.
The aircraft is characterized by its robust corrugated metal construction and delivers a powerful, noisy takeoff that settles into a stable cruise, though its flight controls, particularly the rudder, require significant physical effort to operate.
Historically, the durable and versatile Trimotor served globally as a pioneering early airliner, performing diverse tasks from "bush plane" work to offering passengers a unique and luxurious transcontinental air travel 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.