Role:  Civil Utility Aircraft

National Origin: United States

Manufacturer: Travel Air, Curtiss-Wright

First Flight: 1928

Primary User: Private Owners

Number Built: 150

The Travel Air 6000 (later known as the Curtiss-Wright 6B when Travel Air was purchased by Curtiss-Wright) was a six-seat utility aircraft manufactured in the United States in the late 1920s.

It was developed as a luxury version of the Travel Air 5000 marketed principally as an executive aircraft, although its size proved popular with regional airlines, which purchased most of the roughly 150 machines built.

The 6000 was a high-wing braced monoplane with a fuselage constructed of steel tube and covered in fabric. In keeping with its intended luxury market, the fully enclosed cabin was insulated and soundproofed, and included wind-down windows. The basic model was priced at $12,000, but numerous options were offered that could nearly double that price; actor Wallace Beery’s aircraft cost him $20,000 and was the most expensive Model 6000 built.

NC8112 was purchased new by Pittsburgh Airways in 1929 and flew scheduled passenger service connecting Pittsburgh • Philadelphia • New York City.

The Travel Air 6000 was later purchased by Johnson Flying Service in Missoula, MT. Records indicate that SN 844 was the first airplane that carried “smoke jumpers”.

The restoration crew and volunteers at Mid America Flight Museum North in Urbana, Ohio restored the Travel Air 6000 with it returning to flight in 2021. It was awarded Grand Champion Antique at Airventure Oshkosh 2021. For more on the restoration visit www.travelair6000.com