This photo above is of CF-AEJ and was taken approximately 1930 in Canada.

The Travel Air Manufacturing Company was established in Wichita, Kansas in February of 1925.  The company was formed by Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, and Lloyd Stearman along with other financial supporters.  Their purpose was to put into production a three place biplane that had been developed by Stearman.  The aircraft went on to become very successful and later evolved into the model 2000 and 4000.  In 1926 the company completed its first monoplane, the Model 5000.  This aircraft had an enclosed cabin and could carry four passengers. 

The six place model 6000-A was introduced in February of 1929.  This aircraft was certified as both a landplane (A-6000-A) as well as a seaplane (SA-6000-A).  The Model 6000 became known as the “Limousine of the Air” and became very popular with both airlines and corporate aviation.  Many of these aircraft came equipped with a lavatory, complete with a small wash basin.  The selling price for the aircraft was in the order of $15,000 depending on the manufacture options.   

On October 3, 1927 Scenic Airways flew its first commercial air tour of Grand Canyon in a Stinson Detroiter SM-1B.  Within a year the company soon introduced Ford Tri-Motors into service at a price of nearly $50,000 per airplane.  The company struggled after the stock market crash in October of 1929 and the company was sold and renamed Grand Canyon Airlines.  The new ownership needed a more affordable and reliable single engine airplane to compliment the larger expensive Ford Tri-Motors.  The Travel Air A-6000-A was the perfect fit and was introduced into the fleet around 1933 and served faithfully for nearly a decade. 

On June 17, 1929 Delta Air Service (now Delta Airlines) began passenger service in Texas using a Travel Air 6000-B.  The aircraft were considered fast and luxurious in their day.  In 1930 Northwest Airlines based in Minneapolis introduced the Travel Air on some of their routes.  Other notable operators of the Travel Air 6000 was Phillips Petroleum Co., the Ruckstell Co. and the Hal Roach field studios in Hollywood, CA. 

This particular Travel Air A-6000-A that is on display at Grand Canyon Valle Airport was manufactured and first flew on May 18, 1929.  It went to Canada registered as CF-AEJ.  It flew from 1929 to 1954 under Canadian registry for several different operators.  In 1954 it was sold to an American operator and registered in the United States as N4942V.  Shortly after it was taken to Alaska where it was wrecked and left in a field until it was acquired by John Seibold in 1997.  It’s meticulous restoration by Jimmy Helfrich of Las Vegas, NV. took nearly ten years and was completed in July 2008 with the help of Chuck Wentworth of Antique Aero in Paso Robles, CA.  It now proudly displays the livery of Grand Canyon Airlines to represent the historic air tour livery and is one display at the Grand Canyon Valle Airport (40G) in Northern Arizona.  It has previously been registered to:

May 27, 1929            Continental Aero Corp, Montreal, PQ
July 25, 1929             Curtiss-Reid Airways Ltd, Montreal, PQ
May 12, 1933            R.W. Starratt, Hudson, ON (as Northern Transportation Co. Ltd.)
Aug 29, 1935             Name changed to Starratt Airways & Transportation, Hudson, ON
Apr 29, 1944             Canadian Pacific Airlines Ltd, Montreal, PQ
May 31, 1946            G.W. Campbell, Red Lake, ON
Mar 26, 1947             Severn Enterprises Ltd, Sioux Lookout, ON
Aug 8, 1951               Central BC Airways Ltd, Prince George, BC
Jul 8, 1953                 Name Changed to Pacific Western Airlines Ltd, Vancouver, BC
May 1954                   Aircraft exported back to the United States of America

Photo Gallery Collection of Travel Air N4292V
CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1930	CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1930
CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1930	CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1930
CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1948	CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1948
CF-AEJ in Canada, circa 1948	The airplane in 1997 before restoration.
The airplane in 1997 before restoration.	The airplane in 1997 before restoration.
Interior before restoration in 1997.	Jimmy Helfrich, Chief Restorer in Las Vegas.
N4942V under restoration in Las Vegas	Restoration near complete in 2007.
Upon completion at Antique Aero, Paso Robles, CA.	Upon completion at Antique Aero, Paso Robles, CA.
Restoration complete at Valle Airport, AZ.	Restoration complete at Valle Airport, AZ.
Restoration complete at Valle Airport, AZ.	Interior complete in 2008!
N4942V en route to Oshkosh 2008.	N4942V at Oshkosh 2008, takes Silver Age Runner Up.
N4942V on static display at Oshkosh 2008.	Flying home from Oshkosh 2008 over Wisconsin.
Flying home from Oshkosh 2008 over Wisconsin.