page_title: Ford National Reliability Air Tour
section_title: 2003 Re-creation
hierarchical_section_title: Ford National Reliability Air Tour / 2003 Re-creation
caption_attribution_description: English: 2003 National Air Tour
context_page_description: The Ford Reliability Tour, properly called "The National Air Tour for the Edsel B. Ford Reliability Trophy", was a series of Aerial Tours sponsored in part by Ford from 1925 to 1931 and re-created in 2003. Top prize was the Edsel Ford Reliability Trophy. Henry and Edsel Ford were shareholders in the Stout Engineering Company. In August 1925, they purchased the entire company, making it the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company. Their product, the Stout 2-AT Pullman, was a featured plane. The plane was also used by their new airline the Ford Air Transport Service, which started regular flights in April. The Flights out of Ford Airport cross-marketed, and showcased Ford's new interest in aviation.
context_section_description: The Tour was re-created in 2003 (September 8–24) from the plans for the canceled 1932 Tour. The 2003 Tour started and ended in Dearborn, Michigan, circling the eastern half of the United States, with enroute layovers at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina and Jabara Airport, Wichita, Kansas (Fri.-Mon., Sept. 12–15). More than 30 vintage aircraft took part. Most participating aircraft were from the same period of the original National Air Tours. The tour covered 4,000 miles and 27 cities.  The public was able to see a great many historic planes land and take off as well as ask questions and tour the inside of several of the larger planes.  The 2003 National Air Tour Web site is: www.NationalAirTour.org
caption: 2003 National Air Tour route
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