Passengers aboard Ford Tri-Motor Airplane, 1929

Americans initially wondered if air travel was safe. Fatal crashes by barnstorming pilots were well publicized, and wood and cloth airplanes did not inspire confidence. But when Henry Ford began making planes, the industrialist's solid reputation eased people's fears. Ford's all-metal Tri-Motors were rugged, dependable and safe. By the late 1920s these planes were the backbone of the budding airline industry.