VIENNA — Aviation enthusiasts who gathered at the Youngstown Warren Regional Airport on Thursday to fly in the historic 1928 Ford Tri-Motor aircraft will have to wait a bit longer.

After a malfunction occurred with one of the magneto elements, which ignites a spark plug in the plane’s mid-motor, pilot Dave Ross decided to park the aircraft, prior to the first flight of the day.

Shortly after, all of the passengers filed out of the plane, and it was announced that the rest of the flights for the day had been canceled.

“There was something wrong, so I didn’t go,” Ross said.

The plane is at the airport as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s national tour.

Ross, a volunteer with the association who lives in Huron County, said the plane originally was built in 1928, but was rebuilt in the early 1970s.

“It’s great,” Ross said. “Everybody who comes out always has some interest in seeing antique airplanes.”

As the aircraft was getting ready to take off on its first flight of the day, a loud popping noise sounded as the engines were warming up, causing those watching from outside the craft to flinch. The popping noise was the mid-motor backfiring. The plane was shut down as a precautionary measure.

Representatives from EAA said that the organization has the equipment needed to fix the malfunctioning magneto, but that it could take a number of hours.

Janet Gregory, a tour coordinator with EAA, said crews spent Thursday afternoon installing the spare magneto, and that, assuming all tests go well, the plane will be back up and offering flights today, Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cherilynn Waldron of Cortland had paid to be the co-pilot on what would have been the first flight of the day. Waldron said that she was sitting in the front of the plane, next to Ross, as it prepared to take off.

Waldron said that she had never flown in a plane like the Ford Tri-Motor, but that her family’s history with aviation encouraged her to book the flight.

“My grandfather (Larry Stahl), he was a pilot in the service,” she said. “So we used to come out and watch the planes take off all the time and then go get ice cream at the Vienna Dairy Queen. Honestly, it’s the reason why I still love (planes).”

Despite not leaving the ground, Waldron said she was very impressed with the historic aircraft.

“It’s beautiful,” Waldron said. “Everything is wood in there; it is all oak. Even the steering wheel was oak.”

Alasdair Smith, 15, was supposed to go on the third flight of the day. Smith, who lives in Cranberry, Pa., was visiting the airport with his grandparents, who live in Howland.

Smith said that he was very interested in the plane, specifically because of its historic nature. He said he’s a history buff.

“I really like planes because they’re what keeps us in the skies,” Smith said. “It literally weaponized warfare and also made it easier for us to fly to other places.”

Though Smith did not get to fly in the aircraft on Thursday, he still was excited to see the plane, of which he took numerous photos. He and his family plan to come back for a ride on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s literal history you get to ride in.”

Smith’s grandmother, Kim Marino, said that while she and her family were disappointed like the rest of those in attendance, the magneto setback will not deter them from returning for their flight.

“It’s a little disappointing,” Marino said. “But we’ll work things out because we really want Alasdair to get a chance to ride on this plane. It will be a really cool experience for him.”