NILES — The Roaring ‘20s have soared into Niles this Memorial Day Weekend.

The Experimental Aircraft Association starting early this week brought its 1929 Ford Tri-Motor airplane to the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport on Lake Street. The public will be able to reserve 30-minute rides on the plane 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The Ford Tri-Motor airplane model shares a similar nickname to that of Ford’s Model T. While the car model was nicknamed “Tin Lizzie,” the Tri-Motor garnered the nickname, “Tin Goose.”

“It’s kind of like riding a big kite,” said pilot Gerald Flaugher.

According to EAA staff, both Model T and Tri-Motor products sought to open up new markets. The Model T was meant to introduce passenger ground travel while the Tri-Motor took passenger travel to the skies.

The association of flying enthusiasts has been traveling the nation with its Tri-Motor, usually stopping near one of their 900 local chapters. Its model was the 146th of 199 Tri-Models produced.

Cindy Atchison is a member of the Niles EAA chapter. She gave a brief history of the plane before a flight Thursday.

The EAA Tri-Model jumped from many North American hands before being obtained by EAA, she said.

It was sold first to Pitcairn Aviation, then to Eastern Air Transport shortly after. Its color scheme reflects the scheme of its first purchaser. The plane then made runs between the Cuban cities Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

After a stint with the Dominican Republic government, the plane came back to the United States as a crop duster – it can be seen in its role on the comedy show “Family Jewels.”

Then, a thunderstorm lifted the plane up 50 feet and dropped it down in 1973, said Atchison. Shortly after, the EAA purchased it. From 1973 to 1985, EAA staff and member volunteers fixed the plane in an attempt to bring it back to its original form. Then, the EAA began to tour it around the country for flights.

The plane has a silver exterior, a green interior, nine seats with windows next to each and a passenger aisle that leads right up to an open cockpit.

“If you love planes, you got to love this one,” Atchison said. “It’s a pristine example.”

Area resident Duane Habenicht said riding the Tri-Motor would likely be the highlight of his summer.

“I’ve been waiting years and years and years and years,” said the EAA member of 36 years.

Habenicht said anyone interested in aviation should make the trip to the memorial airport to ride the plane.

“You can’t beat the sound of a round engine,” he said.

Those interested in reserving a seat will need to pay $72 per adult and $52 per child.