William B. Stout, the creative engineer behind the
Ford Trimotor, started his own airline in 1927 and was one of the first
customers of the new Ford Trimotors. Stout had earlier established air
service between Detroit and Grand Rapids in Michigan on 31 July, 1926 called
Detroit ~ Grand Rapids Airline which was operated by Stout Air Service. This service flew passengers using the
Stout 2-AT Air Pullman. The line operated until it was renamed Stout Air Lines.
Original promotional material dated
1 December, 1926
Ford-Stout 2-AT Air Pullman
Stout Air Lines was important because it carried only
passengers. There was no revenue from mail contracts. In this
respect, Stout was a daring operator, pioneering again. The airline is
also credited with hiring the nation's first male flight attendants in 1926
for its route. The route required little more than an hour's flight
time.
Ford 4-AT-5 (delivered 23 June, 1927)
Ford 4-AT-8 (delivered 18 February, 1928)
Flight attendant helps passengers aboard
Ford 4-AT Trimotor
Stout Air Lines never made any profit. Planes seldom
carried more than three or four passengers, and Stout eventually abandoned the
operation. But bigger operators had been watching the airline and were
soon imitating it by offering full passenger service themselves.
Stout Airlines eventually became part of the United Air Lines group in 1931.
Ford 5-At-15 (delivered 25 February, 1929)
cost at time of purchase: $65,475.00
Ford 4-AT-34 (delivered 14 September, 1928)
Timetables and Promotional Materials
 1 March, 1927 |
 1 November, 1927 |
 1 April, 1928 |
 1 April, 1928 |
 15 May, 1929 |
 15 July, 1929 |
 1 November, 1929 |
 2 January, 1930 |
 1 April, 1930 |
 1 August, 1930 |
(click on the images above for larger versions)
