WOULD YOU RIDE IN A PREHISTORIC AIRPLANE?

by Bob Walsh

Over the weekend a 79-year old Junkers J-52 tri-motor airliner piled into a mountain in Switzerland. Needless to say there were no survivors.

The plane was in regular service until 1981 and has since been used for specialty excursions. It seems to have crashed more or less straight down at a relatively high rate of speed. The plane did not break up in the air and did not catch fire on impact. Nearly 5,000 of these planes were built up until 1952.

And in answer to my question, I have recently ridden in a Ford Tri-Motor that was a bit over 90 years old. It was LOUD, but as far as I can tell it was safe. Relatively. Such aircraft do require FAA certification in the U. S.