June 02--When John Warren worked for Williams Industrial, he always wore a Snoopy hat while doing sandblasting. His fellow co-workers nicknamed him Snoopy and it stuck.
Now retired, the president of Chapter 45 of the Experimental Aircraft Association has a home-built biplane in his Monongahela home.
With a lifelong love of aviation, Warren joined the EAA in the 1980s.
Now the local chapter of the EAA will sponsor a four-day event Thursday through June 9, featuring rides on 1929 Ford Tri-Motor. Although Chapter 45 is based out of the Rostraver Airport, the event will be staged at the Connellsville Airport.
"It's going to be a real nice flight," Warren said. "You have the mountains right there. It's like going for a ride in a Model A. But in 1929, that was top of the line."
The event will be held 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through June 9.
Flights are $70 for adults in advance and $75 for walk-ups. Children ride for $50. An adult must accompany each child under the age of 16. Children 2 and under can ride free on an adult's lap.
The Tri-Motor carries nine passengers at a time and every seat on the plane has a window. It is possible to reserve an entire flight of nine.
Passengers are encouraged to bring cameras or camcorders.
The Ford Tri-Motor or the "Tin Goose" was first built by the Ford Motor Company in the late 1920s. Only 199 were built. EAA's Ford Tri-Motor was constructed in 1929 and over the years its roles have ranged from a Cuban airliner to extensive background fighting forest fires while transporting smoke jumpers.
After a thunderstorm wreaked havoc on the airplane in 1973, EAA Founder Paul Poberezny purchased the aircraft, which then underwent a 12-year restoration. Since then it has been hangared at the EAA Museum's historic Pioneer Airport and only departs to make public appearances and for its touring.
EAA's Ford Tri-Motor has also made a celebrity appearance in two major movies--1960's "Family Jewels" starring Jerry Lewis and 2009's "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp.
Based in Oshkosh, Wis., the Experimental Aircraft Association is a nationwide organization of over 176,000 aircraft enthusiasts. The Ford Tri-Motor is a flying outreach component of the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.
The EAA promotes aviation in several forms, antique and classic, preserving war birds. The organization also owns a World War II era B-17 bomber that makes tours around the world.
Currently, the organization has two Tri-Motors touring the country. EAA has chapters worldwide.
Chapter 45 is based out of the Rostraver Airport, where the chapter and many of its nearly 100 members have hangars.
Some members, like Warren, own home-built experimental airplanes. They meet monthly and try to promote aviation.
"I've loved aviation forever," Warren said. "When I had my own family and they were all grown, I started flying and one of the places we flew to was Rostraver. I joined the local chapter in the 1980s."
Chris Buckley is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-684-2642 or [email protected].
Copyright 2013 - The Valley Independent, Monessen, Pa.
