EXPERIENCE 1920s LUXURY AVIATION WHEN EAA’s FORD TRI-MOTOR TOUR STOPS AT PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA EXECUTIVE REGIONAL AIRPORT

The Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport (KAPS) will serve as  host of the Ford Tri-Motor Tour Stop along with our local EAA Chapter #971 on April 26th through the 29th at the airport in Reserve, Louisiana. Lamarque Ford in Kenner, Louisiana will serve as the title sponsor of the event. “We are excited to be bringing this part of history right here to the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport,” said Paul Aucoin, executive director, “and we are grateful that Lamarque Ford has chosen to sponsor this event.”

The Ford Tri-Motor or the “Tin Goose” was first built by the Ford Motor Company in the late 1920s. EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor was constructed in 1929 and has an intriguing history, with roles ranging from service as a Cuban airliner to an 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 and returned it to touring status. 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.

EAA’s Tri-Motor can carry up to nine passengers at a time and every seat has a window. Passengers are encouraged to bring a camera to record and share this experience. Tickets purchased in advance are $70 for adults. Walk up tickets are $75 and $50 for children 17 years old and under. Book your spot on the historic “Tin Goose” through a secure flight-reservation system at www.flytheford.org, EAA’s Tri-Motor tour website. You can also pre-book a flight by calling 1-800-843-3612.

As title sponsor of this event, Lamarque Ford will be purchasing 100 flight tickets and these will be given to 20 children and parents from Children’s Hospital, 20 children and parents from St. Michaels, two tickets each for the first 25 car or truck buyers in March and 10 Facebook promotion random winners. Ronnie Lamarque, owner of the Ford dealership stated, “I’m honored, on behalf of special needs children to give the chance of a lifetime. This should be a wonderful great experience. Amen.”

EAA #971, based at KAPS, will be on-hand selling tickets and assisting passengers with boarding during the four-day event. The local chapter has been associated with the Reserve airport since it was built approximately 30 years ago. EAA #971 Chapter President Mike Saladino said, “We have sponsored fly-ins and Young Eagle fly-ins to promote aviation in the River Parishes. We hope this event will bring out the community to experience the living history of aviation and spark wonder in the next generation at its limitless future.”

Stay tuned for more announcements as the event gets closer or follow our Facebook page for updates: Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport.

About the Port of South Louisiana

The Port of South Louisiana is a 54-mile port district on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, encompassing the parishes of St. Charles, St. John and St. James. The facilities located within the port’s district consistently handle over a quarter billion short tons of cargo annually, ranking it the largest tonnage port district in the Western Hemisphere (and the 16^th largest in the world), the nation’s greatest grain exporter, and one of the major energy transfer ports in the United States. Along the 108 miles of deep-water frontage on both banks of the river there are seven grain transfer facilities, four major oil refineries, 11 petrochemical manufacturing facilities and several other facilities for a total of more than 50 docks owned and operated by an impressive group of companies in the Port District, such as ADM, ArcelorMittal, Cargill, DowDupont, Marathon, Shell, Nucor Steel, Occidental, Valero, and Occidental Chemical. The Port also owns and operates the Executive Regional Airport (KAPS). To learn more, visit us at www.portsl.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About EAA

EAA embodies the spirit of aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 185,000 members and 1,000 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to http://www.eaa.org. For continual news updates, connect with www.twitter.com/EAAupdate.

###

For media flight inquiries please contact Olivia Rasmus at 920-426-6599 or orasmus@eaa.org.

For more information on the event at Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport, please contact Lisa Braud at 985-652-9278 or lbraud@portsl.com.