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Thread: EAA Tri Motor Flights - Rip off

  1. #1

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    EAA Tri Motor Flights - Rip off

    EAA sent me an e-mail about their Ford Tri Motor flight. $70 a person. I thought cool and sent it to 9 people that I know would have gone. This would have filled the plane. Worse case if people declined we would still have a pretty good size group.

    I called EAA to find out how long the flight is. It's 15-20 min! WHAT? They want $140 (wife and I) for 15-20 min flight. No thanks EAA. That price is unrealistic and a complete rip off.

    I e-mailed everyone and said forget it.

    EAA must be banking on the coolness factor or something. I know there is a plane cost associated with it but raise the price to make it an hour ride. A 15 min ride is you are up, make a circle and land. That doesn't sound exciting to me and not worth $140 out of my pocket book.

    For the $140 we will rent a 172 for an hour with a pilot. It's not a tri motor but I'm in the air for an hour.

  2. #2
    Chick's Avatar
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    My wife and I went up a couple of years ago. Our local chapter hosts the Ford every year. It was wonderful! I was in the cockpit and even got a few minutes yoke time. I did a couple turns and some straight and level. It was an amazing experience! Well worth every penny.

  3. #3
    EAA Staff / Moderator Hal Bryan's Avatar
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    Wow, Brian - obviously we disagree. I'm sorry to hear that you think the price is too high, but you should know that the Tri-motor flights have been so popular that we actually had to make arrangements to add a second airplane, thanks to our friends at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo.

    Yes, we're absolutely counting on the "coolness factor" - if people just want a scenic flight, they can find that any place. But a lot of people relish the experience of flying in a restored 80+ year old airplane, and getting a small taste of what that part of our aviation history is all about. For them, an hour in a 172 just isn't the same thing.
    Last edited by Hal Bryan; 04-17-2013 at 03:26 PM. Reason: Clarification

    Hal Bryan
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    EAA—The Spirit of Aviation

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hal Bryan View Post
    Wow, Brian - obviously we disagree. I'm sorry to hear that you think the price is too high, but you should know that the Tri-motor flights have been so popular that we actually had to make arrangements to add a second airplane, thanks to our friends at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo.

    Yes, we're absolutely counting on the "coolness factor" - if people just want a scenic flight, they can find that any place. But a lot of people relish the experience of flying in a restored 80+ year old airplane, and getting a small taste of what that part of our aviation history is all about. For them, an hour in a 172 just isn't the same thing.
    Hal - I will have to save this for the day then when I have a $140 burning a hole in my pocket and have 15 min with nothing to do. I can tell you that won't happen.

    My complaint isn't about the cost. It's about the cost vs the time in the air.

    I've gone hot air ballooning a few times which isn't cheap. Figure that is $50 every 15 min per person. For the $200 per person I was in the air for about an hour.

    If I want a coolness factor and I am paying for it give me more time in the air with it.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chick View Post
    My wife and I went up a couple of years ago. Our local chapter hosts the Ford every year. It was wonderful! I was in the cockpit and even got a few minutes yoke time. I did a couple turns and some straight and level. It was an amazing experience! Well worth every penny.

    There is no doubt that it would be cool but not for the price they want compared to the time in the air. What do they show for an in flight movie? A commerical? ha ha.

  6. #6
    EAA Staff Tom Charpentier's Avatar
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    Just FYI, the fuel burn alone for our larger Ford is 80 GPH. Split 10 ways for a full flight (not always the case) that's about $16 at $6 a gallon (pretty low for 100LL) for a 20 min flight. After the costs of insuring and maintaining an 80 year old airframe (you should see the kind of ingenuity our volunteers put into fabricating and installing parts that haven't been manufactured in half a century), not to mention flying non-revenue at 80 GPH all over the country to our tour stops, there honestly isn't much left over for us.

    The cost to run the plane really does scale significantly by time, so for an hour ride you're talking about a price point that would attract far fewer passengers than we get today. Our air tours operation is focused on sharing the experience of flying in these aircraft to as many people as possible and the flight times and prices are carefully considered with that in mind. As Hal said, it's been a successful program so far.

    I'm a private pilot with time in a bunch of different airplanes, including 172s. I had the opportunity to ride the Ford over Oshkosh last year and there's truly nothing like it in the world. It's a living time capsule - one of the first airliners ever built - and our two represent about a third of all airframes of the type still flying.

    If what you're after is purely flying time I certainly understand, but at least to me to me not all time in the air is equal. The 20 minutes I spent in the Tri Motor were more memorable than most hours I've spent in anything else in GA.
    Tom Charpentier
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  7. #7
    EAA Staff Tom Charpentier's Avatar
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    Also, you wouldn't want to be in that plane for an hour. It's LOUD and after awhile you're just boring holes in the sky. It's more than "take off, circle, and land," you fly low over the surrounding landscape at about 1000 AGL or lower and get some great photo ops before returning. The 15-20 minute flight is a satisfying experience and I wasn't left wanting afterwards.
    Tom Charpentier
    Government Relations Director
    EAA Lifetime #1082006 | Vintage #722921

  8. #8
    Todd copeland's Avatar
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    Actually, that sounds very reasonable. I think I will look for an opportunity to take advantage of it.
    Todd

  9. #9
    RickFE's Avatar
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    I have been hoping for an opportunity to take a ride in the Tri-Motor with my Grandson, who has taken quite the shining to almost all things aviation. I think later when we talk about it, it will be more about the uniqueness of the event than exactly how much time we spent airborne in it. Later in his life I am hoping he will have a unique experience to talk about and recognize the historical significance of the plane itself. Not saying anyone is wrong to question the price, but I think there is more to the event than how much time you spent aloft.

  10. #10

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    It would be a rip-off if they didn't tell you the price or the duration of the flight. But they do, so you get to choose whether the trimotor earns your discretionary income.

    If you don't like it, vote with your feet.

    But you'll be missing a unique experience that I found well worth the expense.

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