Travel Air 2000

Travel Air Manufacturing Company · United States · first flew 1925 · light aircraft

The Travel Air 2000 was an American two-seat open-cockpit biplane produced from 1925 by the Travel Air Manufacturing Company, founded by Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, and Lloyd Stearman.

Recognition (WEFT)

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

• Equal-span open-cockpit biplane with N-strut interplane bracing
• Water-cooled Curtiss OX-5 V-8 or Wright Whirlwind radial in the nose
• Long open tandem cockpits with rounded fuselage decking

A classic American open-cockpit biplane of conventional proportions; distinguished by its N-strut interplane bracing and the variety of engines fitted, each recognisable by cowling shape.

Specifications

• The Travel Air 2000 has a length of 7.38 m (24 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 10.58 m (35 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 193 km/h (120 mph).
• Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown on 13 March 1925, the Travel Air 2000 became one of the most successful American light biplanes of the barnstorming era, with approximately 1,300 examples built. It was offered with various engines including the Curtiss OX-5 and Wright Whirlwind, making it adaptable to buyer preferences and budgets.

Variants

The 2000 was the baseline OX-5-powered model; the 3000 used the Hispano-Suiza, the 4000 the Wright Whirlwind J-5, and later variants adopted other radials.

Where you'll see it

Widely used by barnstormers, air mail operators, and flying schools across the United States throughout the late 1920s; many examples were exported to South America and beyond.

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