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 (Dearborn) cross-marketed, and showcased Ford's new interest in aviation. Awards Edsel B. Ford Reliability Trophy Great Lakes Trophy was awarded in 1930 and 1931 to the fastest plane with an engine of 510 cubic inches or less. 1925 National Air Tour This was called the First Annual Aerial Reliability Tour, sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers, with prizes for completion. The course was over 1900 miles with stops in 10 cities. September 28, 1925, to October 4, 1925: 20 entered, 17 starters, 11 with a perfect score. Perfect scores (unless noted) – E.K. Campbell – Travel Air A C. Bowhan – Travel Air B.6 Walter Beech – Travel Air B.6 Fred Melchoir – Junkers F.13L (second prize) E. G. Knapp – Waco (fourth prize – damaged in forced landing) L. O. Yost – Waco J. Stauffer – Swallow '25 (second prize) Earl Rowland – Swallow '26 P. Lott – Fokker 3F7 Casey Jones – Curtiss Carrier Pigeon Gy Caldwell – Martin Commercial L.B. Richardson – Martin Commercial H.C. Mummert – Mercury Jr. (third prize) E.G. Hamilton – Stout 2-AT Pullman. H.C. Etten – Laird Special (second prize) E.A. Goff – Laird Swallow (second prize) W.J. Adams – Yackey 1926 National Air Tour The 1926 Air tour started at Ford Field on August 7, 1926. The event featured the unveiling of the prototype Ford Flivver. There was a field of 25 contestants. A new scoring system for time to "stick" and "unstick" aircraft to the ground helped promote the use of brakes which were unpopular at the time. The new Ford Trimotor had a prop failure that shook loose one landing gear and an engine on one side. The plane landed hard in a field at Nova, Ohio. Walter